this morning 57 million americans are in the path of a winter weather advisory with snow, ice and heavy rain on the horizon today. bill karins is tracking the storms >> i knew from the outset that being taskedith judging the president, the leader of my own party, would be the most difficult decision i have ever faced. i was not wrong. the president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust. >> and with that statement, senator mitt romney became the only republican senator to go against his party leader, putting forth a guilty verdict

in one of the two articles of impeachment. today president trump will sound off. >> this morning we'll remember kirk douglas who reigned supreme in hollywood's major films >> the latest in the sexual assault trial of harvey weinstein and a glimpse of what's ahead in his next trial in los angeles >> and a reminder for drivers about to hit the road this morning, please pay attention, and especially watch out for trains look at that "early today" starts right now >> good morning to you i'm cori coffin. >> good to be with you i'm frances rivera we are tracking a massive storm that is sweeping across the country. a rare sight in texas, some towns hit with half a foot of snow and major travel problems normally they see snow there at all, it's usually just a dusting. the southeast still facing a threat of severe weather overnight serious flooding reported near the university of alabama. you can see the car just submerged there. and in mississippi reports of possible tornadoes and also widespread power outages

in the video, the roof of a home has been completely ripped away. let's turn to meteorologist bill karins who is tracking it all. good morning, bill >> well, good morning. multiple hazards out there let's start with the life-threatening ones first. severethreat of flash flooding and significant travel impacts from all the heavy rain and the snow and ice in areas of the northeast. so as far as the worst of it, down here in the south we've been tracking tornadoes overnight. we've had 12 preliminary reports of tornadoes no injury reports thankfully and as we go throughout the day today, this line of storms will continue through areas of georgia, this area of orange is an enhance the risk of severe weather. panama city, augusta, macon, raleigh, back down to savannah and charleston, areas like myrtle beach on top of all that, the saturated soil, flash flood watches or flood watches we already have a couple flash flood warnings out there, the areas you see in red multiple hazards including the snow threat. we'll give you that forecast coming up. >> what a mess all right, bill, thank you >> we are also following some breaking news for you this

morning. we are expecting a special arrival from outer space very soon history-making astronaut christi christina koch has ended her time on the space station, 328 days christina and two astronauts from italy and russia scheduled to land in kazakhstan this morning. >> we are mourning the loss of a hollywood legend, kirk douglas died at the age of 103 to the world he was an actor in the golden age of movies who captivated audiences with films like this. >> i apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner you're a sadistic old man. and you can go to hell before i apologize to you now or ever again. >> nbc's mark barter takes a look back. >> i pray for a son who will be born free. >> reporter: for decades kirk douglas was one of the biggest box office draws the clutch kid actor starred in more than 80 movies, usually as the tough guy.

>> anybody else want to try their luck >> reporter: the son of russian immigrants, douglas made his first film in 1946 the strange love of martha ivers. championed in 1949 that made him a star his other landmark films include spartacus. gun fight at the o.k. corral, with friend and frequent co-star burt lancaster and one of disney's live action films, 20,000 leagues under the sea. douglas earned three oscar nominations including one for the role of painter vincent van gogh in loss for life. he accepted an honorary academy award for lifetime achievement in 1986. recovering from a stroke, douglas made a memorable heart felt speech. >> i see my four sons. they are proud of the old man. [ applause ]

but this is for my wife ann. i love you >> reporter: as enduring as his film career, his more than 60 year marriage to his wife ann. his son michael became a hollywood star in his own right, and a father/son duo co-starred in the 2003 film, it runs in the family in his later years, douglas wrote several popular books, including an autobiography his intro specs was prompted in part by surviving the collision of a helicopter and small airplane in 1991 >> two young people were killed. why am i alive it makes you think about a lot of things. gives you your priorities. >> reporter: in a career that spanned nearly 70 years, kirk douglas leaves behind a film legacy >> all right, it's spartacus >> reporter: that made him one of hollywood's most enduring stars. mark barter, nbc news. >> president trump acquitted and emboldened while his legacy will endure with the stain of impeachment by the house, the senate has

cleared the president on charges of abusing his power and obstructing congress and now the commander in chief appears ready to strike back announcing on twitter he will make a public address at noon eastern today to discuss, quote, our country's victory on the impeachment hoax nbc's tracie potts joins us from d.c. tracie, we could see some serious fireworks from the president's speech today >> reporter: well, despite protests we saw here in washington and across the country, this is president trump's opportunity to take a major victory lap after the months-long effort not only to impeach him, but with this trial to remove him from office. it was pushed by democrats and it failed. on obstruction of congress, every single republican voted with him but interestingly, on the first charge, abuse of power, one republican defecting, utah's mitt romney, who indicated this vote for him was extremely personal >> i am profoundly religious

my faith is at the heart of who i am i take an oath before god as enormously consequential i knew from the outset that being tasked with judging the president, the leader of my own party, would be the most difficult decision i have ever faced. i was not wrong. >> reporter: president trump certainly thinks he was wrong, tweeting, had the failed presidential candidate mitt romney devoted the same energy and anger to defeating faltering barack obama as he sanctimoniously does to me, he could have won the election. read the transcripts, referring to the notes, not actual transcripts of the ukraine phone call that sparked all of this. and democrats vowing to continue to investigate some of them now calling to hear former national security advisor john bolton who never testified because they decided not to have witnesses. bolton's story will be told when his book comes out, but for now no indication that he'll show up

on capitol hill to talk. >> there have been reports that he, in fact, won't tracie, thank you. >> results from the chaotic iowa caucuses slowly keep trickling in overnight the iowa democratic party released new numbers with nearly 97% of precincts reporting. senator bernie sanders appears to be gaining ground on pete buttiegieg who remains in the lead the delay in complete results has raised the stakes for the new hampshire primaries. and has begun to reshape the race the biden campaign now on offense after an apparent fourth place finish in iowa >> the fight against the deadly coronavirus continues this morning as the death toll nears 600 and cases top 28,000 on wednesday, china reported more than 3,000 new infections, which the world health organization says is, quote, the most cases in a single day since the outbreak first began in december the virus has also hit the seas, two cruise ships, one in japan, one in hong kong, are currently under quarantine after several

passengers tested positive for the virus. meanwhile, u.s. health officials have confirmed a new case. news comes one day after a cargo plane evacuated hundreds of americans from wuhan, china, to california for the latest on the outbreak we turn to nbc's mollie hunter live in hong kong. mollie, explain to us what the latest cases out of the cruise line and what's happening there and they're stuck on board as far as we know right now, right? >> reporter: hey, corey, good morning. that's right we're outside one of the cruise ships. this is the one in hong kong i'm not sure you can see there are people standing out on their balconies right now. there are 3600 people on this cruise ship. this cruise ship was headed for taiwan and was turned around after it was reported that eight former passengers, corey, passengers that already disembarked and got off the cruise line two weeks ago, had tested positive for coronavirus. they turned the ship around. it's now back. they are now testing these

passengers there are 30 crew members, though, who have reported fevers, respiratory problems, other coronavirus infections there is another cruise ship, you guys, in tokyo that has 3700 passengers and that was also quarantined. it's now out at sea 14 days. after there was a passenger reported who also tested positive for coronavirus we know at least 20 people on that ship have tested positive including three americans. you guys, that number is expected to rise >> mollie hunter for us. thank you so much, mollie. appreciate it. >> tragedy in the sky, three people are dead and over 100 injured after a plane crashed in turkey officials say the pegasus airlines boeing 737 was traveling in a rainstorm carrying 183 passengers from turkey's coastal city of ismir the aircraft was attempting to land in istanbul when it skidded off the runway, crashed into a field and burst into flames. the plane broke into three pieces, forcing some passengers to climb out of the cracks on their own. the cause is still under

investigation. >> all right let's check back in with bill who is tracking all the storm for us busy morning, bill >> we've had freezing rain moving through the northeast 57 million people impacted through st. louis and the great lakes. burlington, vermont, is predicting 15 inches of snow it's going to be a long duration event. not ending until we get to friday, going to be a lot of significant travel delays through areas of the mid-atlantic and southern new england today with low visibility and rain. it's not too early we'll look at your weekend forecast coming up >> definitely not too early for that >> body cam footage captures the

crucial moment a georgia police officer saved a baby's life last month. >> the fact that i'm looking at the parents and they're begging me, asking me to help them so i was extremely nervous okay >> he arrived at a parking lot and found six-month baby not breathing. he used his fingers to perform cpr on the infant saving his life now a.j. is back home with his family >> wow that face. ahead, a new tweet from the man behind the ponzi scheme of all time >> another woman accuses harvey weinstein in court that testimony next. discover what's good - pantene nutrient blends taste and bake like butter. plant butter sticks. which means even two hundred and twenty nine times state fair baking champion lynn ripley smith is going plant based. i'm going to have to build a bigger ribbon case. even butter lovers love it.

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stealing from investors. he said he would live with a friend if released >> the 6th and final accuser in harvey weinstein's new york rape trial took the stand she's one of the two women whose allegations have led to separate criminal cases against weinstein in los angeles here's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: harvey weinstein's rape trial in new york, a preview of the sexual assault case against him in l.a. lauren young, an accuser intha case, took the stand as a supporting witness the model says weinstein sexually assaulted her at a hotel in 2013. during a meeting to discuss a screen play, young told the court weinstein asked her to his room so he could get ready for an event young testified that she followed him into the bathroom as they talked and said, he trapped her there. blocking the exit with the shower door while he quickly undressed. he pulled down my dress, and i'm saying, no, no, no he said, this is what all actresses do to make it. i was trapped. he then grasped my breast.

sarcastically the defense questioned how fast it happened. this big fat man does a anyone i can't tear-off of his clothes faster than anyone you have ever seen and then he turns on the shower yes. young says she ran out of the hotel and immediately told her friends what happened. and years later went to the police just two days ago young says she found the dress she wore that night. the defense holding it up dramatically in court. it has yet to be tested for evidence weinstein pleaded not guilty to the new york charges and denies any allegations of nonconsensual sex. he hasn't entered a plea yet in california those proceedings won't begin until after this trial is over regardless of what the jury here decides. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york >> up next, some cheesy proposition. how kraft is hoping macaroni noodles can lead to canoodling this valentine's day >> from baby yoda to baby crew the prequel of despicable me

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new puffs have more lotion... and soothing softness to relieve. a nose in need, deserves puffs, indeed. a driver in mississippi survived a near fatal accident after colliding with a train devon hall was on the highway near his college when he crossed the tracks he didn't notice the train was coming until the last second and collided with it somehow he managed to get out of the vehicle there and run away from the crash he was taken to the hospital where he was released shortly after. >> let's check back in with bill karins who is tracking dangerous storms for us. good morning, bill >> yeah, good morning. friday is going to be the worst of it in the northeast as far as heavy rain travel impact the snow will continue in western new york and northern new england friday especially northern new england may take awhile to wind down by saturday the storm is gone. a winter-like day behind it. the northern rockies a little snow me the time we get to sunday so of that will move to areas

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in today's top stories, a florida state trooper is dead after a shooting along the highway. florida trooper jason bullock stopped to help a disabled vehicle when a person opened fire inside and killed him police responding fatally shot the suspect. they haven't given a motive for the deadly backlash. >> days after "the new york times" exposed the culture of misogyny, bullying and harassment, the models are taking a stand model group alliance that advocates for the rights of models composed an open letter to the victoria secret c.e.o. urging him to end the alleged

abuse. the letter was signed by over 100 models as well as time's up. >> this morning there is fallout after concerns drew outrage, a comment from one parent to another as being racist itself here's nbc's sam brock >> reporter: a school forum in michigan meant to be instructive ended in outrage when one parent interrupted another discussing the racism he says his son experienced. >> and he was crying because of the abuse he was enduring in this school system >> then why didn't you stay in mexico >> reporter: there are instant gasps. >> you need to leave >> reporter: other parents jumped in. >> that's indicative of what our kids are experiencing. >> reporter: monday's forum held in response to racist comments shared among students on snapchat last month. the saline school district saying in a statement, hate, prejudice and racism has no place in our schools or our

community. that racist comment directed at adrian idaola who came to the u.s. 40 years ago and says his kids have been targeted due to their mexican heritage >> that man is showing clearly we have a problem. >> reporter: tom bertel who asked the question has not returned nbc's request for comment but defended the students' snapchat comments. >> it was off campus >> reporter: this part of a rash of incidents at schools across the country from the display of nooses in new york >> speak english you're in america. >> whoa! >> reporter: to a texas substitute teacher demanding her students speak english one silver lining. >> what is necessary is the conversation that follows. >> reporter: sam brock, nbc news >> pop star katie hy perry has e album. she's been named ambassador to prince charles' project. it was announced at the charity

royal dinner some fans congratulated her. others were troubled by the news after perry had been accused of appropriating asian culture in past performances and appearances. that is our time we thank you for watching "early today. i'm fr obama: he's been a leader throughout the country for the past twelve years, mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: leadership in action. mayor bloomberg and president obama worked together in the fight for gun safety laws, to improve education, and to develop innovative ways to help teens gain the skills needed to find good jobs. obama: at a time when washington is divided in old ideological battles he shows us what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message.

right now at 4:30 bullets fly on a bay area freeway leaving a car shot up. the second car shooting on an east bay freeway in less than 24 hours. what we're learning about that investigation. plus, cracking down on teenaged vaping. the new ban taking effect today, why some fear it falls short. good morning to you and thank you for joining us. i'm laura garcia. >> and i'm marcus washington. something a lot of people are talking about this morning, forget about the double-double, the all new gear in in-n-out, how you can buy your own. how do you feel