we'll be back at 11:00, though. >> that's right. the "today" show is coming up next. thanks for joining us. have a great weekend. good morning. wartime effort. >> we will get through this. we will defeat this pandemic. >> president biden unveils his national covid strategy, expanding the government's response with emergency measures to produce more vaccine and speed up the rollout. but this morning, owing concerns over the shortage of shots from coast to coast, and a new strain of the virus spreading fast. >> it is here, for sure. >> as dr. anthony fauci makes his first appearance at the white house in months. out in the cold. thousands of national guard troops called in to secure the troops called in to secure the inauguration suddenly kicked inauguration suddenly kicked out

of the capitol, forced to sleep in a nearb in a nearby parking garage.park. overnight, the outrage voiced by lawmakers on b lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and the deal just reached to get those troops back inside. breaking overnight, moving breaking overnight, moving forward. forward. with the tokyo olympics exactly with the tokyo olympics exactly six months away, officials six months away, officials addressed reports that the games addressed reports that the games could be canceled, saying that is u is untrue, and every effort is being made for a safe and secure being made for a s event.afe and secure event. the very latest straight ahead. the very latest straight ahead. and we will hear from gymn and we will hear from gymnastics superstar simone biles in a live superstar simone biles in a live interview. interview. all that, plus billion all that, plus billion dollar blitz. dollar blitz. the third largest lottery the third largest lottery jackpot in u.s. history up for jackpot in u.s. history up for grabs tonight, as buzz gro grabs tonight, as buzz grows over who holds the one winning over who holds the one winning ticket in powerball's $730 ticket in powerball's $730 million drawing. million drawing. and th and the fantastic four.fant. >> >> brady throws.rady throws. >> mahomes will run it in. >> mahomes will run it in. >> rodgers going to throw it. >> rodgers going to throw it.

>> allen into the end zone. >> allen into the end zone. >> the nfl's best quarterbacks >> the nfl's best quarterbacks set to battle it out this weekend for a trip to super bow weekend for a trip to supe lv.r bowl lv. today, friday, january 22nd, today, friday, january 22nd, 2021. 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from stud studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hey, guys. welcome to "today." it is friday morning.. hey, guys. welcome to "today." it is friday morning. i'm going to say it o i'm going to say it one more m time.. time, it's friday it's friday morning. we're happy you're joining us. savannah, i'm imagining, is sleeping right now, enjoying im some well-deserved time off. craig melvin sitting here this morning.well-deserved good to see you, honey. time o. craig melvin sit >> good to see you, my friend. the weekend is perfect for some good to see football. you, honey. >> good to see you can feel the excitement for. the weekend is perfect for some football. championship weekend. you can feel the excitement the bucs taking on the packers. the nfl's championship week bills taking on the chiefs.d. the bucs takin facing off with super bowl pac. bills taking on the chiefs. faing off with super bowl appearances on the appearances on the line. line. more on the big games in a few we'll have more on those big

games in a few minutes. mi staying on the topic of he o sports, we have new developments overnight on where things stand with the tokyo olympics. those are due to open six month. those are due t from today.o open six months from what organizers are saying about the future of the games, just at ahead. th also, a conversation with e simone biles, as well. games, ahead. also, a conversation >> indeed. with we start on this friday y s >> morning with coronavirus.. >> president biden using his first full day in office to lay out his administration's strategy t full day in office to l fight the pandemic. ay out his administration's strat >> the urgency is being felt to fight the pandemic. >> the urgency is being fel across the country, with a high across the country, with a high number of cases number of cases and deaths and a shortage of vaccine facing morea and more states. shortage of vaccine facing we'll have complete coverage. we'll begin with chief white house correspondent peter more. we'll have complete coverage. we'll peter, good morning. with >> reporter: hoda, good morning hous to you.er alexander. peter, good morning. president biden delivering a r: to you. president biden delivering a dire war dire warning and a promise.ng a. the that warning, that as many as 100,000 more americans may die of covid over the next month. 100,000 more and a promise that his administration is racing to hel of covid over the next month. andbat it.t. still, president biden a promi acknowledges it is going to takp combat it. months before the majority of f acknowledges it is going to take americans get vaccinated. months before the majority of this morning, dr. anthony fauci americans get vaccinated. this is speaking bluntly about the differences between this is speb

administration's approach and the last one. president biden vowing to wage what he calls a full-scale wartime effort to beat back the coronavirus pandemic. >> to a nation waiting for action, let me be the clearest on this point. help is on the way. >> reporter: the president unveiling a national covid strategy, signing ten executive orders thursday, planning to invoke the defense production act to speed vaccine production, boosting the number of vaccination sites by creating federal vaccination centers, and requiring americans to wear masks on interstates, planes, trains, and buses. still, president biden is pushing for patience, warning the death toll could reach the half million mark by next month. >> we didn't get into this mess overnight, and it's going to take months to turn this around. let me be equally clear, we will get through this. >> reporter: the nation's top infectious disease expert, dr. anthony fauci, back in the briefing room pointing to a

positive sign. >> when you look more recently at the seven-day average of cases, right now, it looks like it might actually be plateauing, in the sense of turning around. >> reporter: despite significant early setbacks, fauci says president biden's pledge of 100 million vaccinations in 100 days is a reasonable goal. what will success look like? >> if we get 70% to 85% of the country vaccinated, i believe by the time we get to the fall, we will be approaching a degree of normality. >> reporter: asked this morning on cnn if president trump's lack of candor cost lives, fauci said, it very likely did. >> when you're in a crisis with cases and hospitalizations and deaths we have, when you talk about things that make no sense medically and scientifically, that clearly is not helpful. >> reporter: and reflecting on

his job under president biden. >> the idea that you can get up here and talk about what you know, what the evidence, what the science is, and know that's it, let the science speak, it is somewhat of a liberating et thes somewhat of a feeling. liberating >> peter, president biden, of feeling. >> peter, president biden, of course, has been focusing on the health aspects of the pandemic, but this also has another alth s impact. of the pandemic, but this also has another impact. that's the economic one. >> reporter: you're exactly right, hoda. president biden is goi that's the economic one.ng t >> you're exactly right, hoda. two more executive orders president biden is going to sign two more executive orders today dealing with the economic impact from this pandemic. they include expanding food stamps and beginning the proces stamps and to require that all federal ths to require that all federal workers and contractors get a wd minimum wage of $15 an hour. co the white house acknowledges m. the white house acknowledges that the orders are not a that the orders are not a substitute for that massive sive nearly $2 trillion covid relief bill that president biden is rf going to need congressional ll action to pass, but they call i a critical lifeline for millions of americans who they say need a critical lifeline for millions hoda? of ame >> peter alexander for us at the white house. say need help now. hoda? >> peter thank you. alexander for us ate now to where things stand white house. thank you. now to where things stand with the virus itself. with the virus itself.

covid covid deaths approached yet des another grim daily record on a another grim daily thursday, and concern is recorn mounting now over the thursday, and concern is of the mounting now over the fast-moving, new strains o this as vaccine supplies run critically low in a growing number of states. nbc's erin mclaughlin joins us with the very latest on that part of the story. erin, good morning to you. >> reporter: craig, good morning. more than half the country is seeing an increase in covid-related fatalities. a new study finds the risk of death almost doubles when icus are overwhelmed. this as scientists say the new, more contagious uk strain is spreading like wildfire. across the country, the staggering covid death toll is soaring. on wednesday, more than 4,100 lives lost. the nation's deadliest day o on record. >> once it takes hold of a person, it is a slow, energy-sapping, horrible respiratory distress. just a terrible disease to see people go through. there's no treatment. it really -- we're so reliant on this vaccine.

>> reporter: as the nation looks to the vaccine for relief, frustration for the newest group eligible for shots. those 65 and older spiking demand for an already inadequate supply, while they try to navigate overwhelmed websites and face wait times of up to eight hours in some places. >> not sure what's going on. it is frustrating. >> reporter: scientists say the current pace of vaccine distribution is no match for the new, more contagious uk variant. the cdc expects it to be the more dominant strain by march. >> today, it appears the vaccines will still be effective against them, with the caveat in mind you want to pay close attention to it. >> reporter: some warn even more precautions are necessary to stop the virus spread. >> we all need much, much higher quality masks. in any sort of high-risk situation, if you find yourself in an indoor space, a grocery store or in an office building, around other people, a simple cloth mask is probably not enough for this very contagious variant. >> reporter: this as hospitals

are already pushed to the brink in states such as arizona, where more than 100,000 of the 700,000 confirmed cases are children. >> over the past three months since the surge started again, we've seen five to six-fold increase in covid hospitalizations in children. it has affected the children, just as it has adults. >> reporter: for higher-risk activities, experts recommend you upgrade your mask sooner rather than later. they point to kn-95 masks. kfn-94s. if you can't find them, experts say look for surgical masks or double up on the cloth mask for extra protection. craig? >> erin mclaughlin for us there. craig?you. let's bring in our chief medical correspondent dr. john . thank you. let's bring in our chief torres now. medical correspondent dr. john torres now. dr. torres, let's dr. torres, let's start on the mutations, the variants that dr mutations, and variants that d fauci talked about yesterday. fauci talked about yesterday. how dangerous how dangerous are they? are this idea that the uk variant t? this idea could be the dominant variant i could be the this country in the next months, how much does that

concern you? >> craig, it concerns me to a certain extent because what dr. fauci talked about yesterday is the uk variant is already here in 20 states that we know of. our surveillance system, he said, is not adequate at this point and needs to be improved, and we'll probably find more cases. as far as the other variant which is the south african variant is similar to the brazilian one. we haven't seen those cases here yet, but again, it's one of the things we're not necessarily looking for it as much as he should. when we get back to the uk variant, it is a numbers game. though this variant is more contagious, it is not more deadly. however, because it is more contagious, the more people that get it, the more cases we get, the more hospitalizations we'll get, and the more deaths, unfortunately. this is one of those things we need to make sure we get under control. though it is not more deadly, it can spread faster. >> that's a very important point to underscore. it is super contagious, dr. torres. i think it is in germany where they are requiring people who

ride subways to wear the n95. one of the few things we can do is masks up and stay away. do you recommend that people wear the n95s? should they double mask? quickly, i remember the n95s were in short supply, so we couldn't find them. is that something people should be looking for? >> to a certain extent, if you're in an environment like that, like dr. jha was talking about earlier on, closed environment around a lot of people, you probably want an n95, surgical mask, or double up on the masking you get. however, in normal situations, masks with two or three layers is fine. i have a mask that has an n95 insert. that can help, as well. the main point to remember is, any mask is better than no mask. the more layers you get, the more protection you can get. the same time, you want to make sure it is breathable. >> dr. torres, let's talk about the supply shortage for a moment. new york state, for instance, governor cuomo announcing yesterday they're out of vaccines.

a number of other states, that's the case, as well. they're having to shut down the vaccination sites because they don't have enough vials. what's the problem here? is this simply an issue of pfizer and moderna not being able to manufacture it fast enough, or is there more to it than that? >> there's more to it than that, craig. there's a combination of factors going on here. we talked about the distribution being something that was ramped up, but the administration, getting it into people's arms, was the point we were lacking. that's what the biden administration is working on now. he wants the 100 million doses in the next 100 days. he's giving the states the assistance they need to do that. we're talking about the variants coming out. the south african variant, dr. fauci says the vaccine may not be as effective there. but it has a cushion effect. it is so effective overall against coronavirus, even if the effectiveness drops down a little bit, it'll still be effective against the south african variant. we all need to protect ourselves with the vaccine, with masks and social distancing. if the virus doesn't get in our

bodies, it's not going to mutate. that's the bottom line, craig. >> dr. john torres, thanks, as always, sir. meantime, there are new details this morning on how former president trump's impeachment trial could move forward. they come as president biden works to get his administration off the ground with razor thin majorities in the house and senate. chief white house correspondent kristen welker is on capitol hill with details this morning. hi, kristen. >> reporter: hoda, good morning to you. president biden is pushing for major legislation on everything from covid relief to immigration and climate change. to do it, he will, in most instances, need bipartisan support, but republicans are already calling some of his ideas non-starters. complicating all of it, as you say, the pending impeachment trial for his predecessor. with president biden looking to jump start his agenda, a new twist in the impeachment trial of former president trump. the senate's top republican, mitch mcconnell, is suggesting a mid-february start, arguing atth will give both sides time to

prepare. trump ally lindsey graham writing, i completely support the process, calling it fair. overnight, democrats reacting, too. >> i am okay with whatever the timeline is. i think that, you know, every department needs a chance to hire a lawyer, put their case together, and prepare for a trial. >> reporter: house speaker nancy pelosi pressed on whether the impeachment trial will further divide the country and undercut president biden's call for unity. >> i'm not worried about that. the fact is, the president of the united states committed an act of incitement of insurrection. i don't think it's very unifying to say, "oh, let's just forget it and move on." that's not how you unify. >> reporter: for his part, mr. biden not weighing in on the timeline of a trial, instead urging congress to tackle his priorities quickly. at the top of the list, that $1.9 trillion covid relief plan. >> we're in a national

emergency. it's time we treat it like one. together with a national plan. >> reporter: there is already sharp disagreement. some moderate republican senators, including mitt romney and lisa murkowski, signaling it is too soon for another stimulus package on the heels of last month's deal. president biden is facing republican pushback on his path for citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants. >> these are the wrong priorities at the wrong time. >> reporter: the white house insists there's plenty of common ground to be found in president biden's policies. >> they will say they're not looking for something symbolic. they're looking for engagement. they're looking to have a conversation. they're looking to have a dialogue. that's exactly what he's going to do. >> reporter: some republicans are also expressing opposition to recent executive orders that president biden signed on his first day in office, including rejoining the paris climate agreement and blocking construction of the keystone pipeline.

in fact, republican congresswoman liz cheney, you'll recall she made headlines voting for trump impeachment, released a statement about the actions, saying they run the risk of potentially costing jobs and emboldening the nation's adversaries. now, the white house has signaled biden will meet with gop leaders in the coming days to try to find some of the common group. craig, i'll toss it back to you. >> kristen welker in washington. thank you. another story out of washington getting a lot of attention this morning, thousands of national guard troops brought in to secure d.c., ordered by u.s. capitol police to leave the capitol. forcing many of the troops into a nearby parking garage. you see them there. many of them forced to sleep in that garage. nbc's capitol hill correspondent kasie hunt joins us with details on this. kasie, good morning. what happened? >> reporter: craig, good morning. it's pretty unbelievable. officials do say that guard members have hotel rooms to sleep in, but because the soldiers are typically on duty for a day or two and working

shifts for hours at a time, they can't easily get back to their hotels. a lot of the hotels are in virginia and maryland. so they've been napping wherever they can. sometimes on concrete, indoor tennis courts, or if they've gotten lucky, carpeted floors inside. after capitol police ordered troops to move into a parking garage, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are furious. overnight, outrage over the treatment of members of the national guard, after images surfaced of soldiers sleeping on concrete. forced to leave their posts at the capitol, to use a local parking garage as a rest area, causing many service members to say they feel disrespected and incredibly betrayed. two soldiers in the maryland national guard telling the "washington post," while banished to the parking facility they inhaled exhaust fumes, shared few toy lets with hundreds of soldiers, inhaled fumes, and struggled to sleep under the harsh fluorescent

lights. this comes after 25,000 national guard members arrived in washington, d.c., following the january 6th riots at the capitol, helping to secure wednesday's presidential inauguration. these images of troops resting between shifts on the floor of the capitol last week going viral. a spokesman for the d.c. national guard releasing a statement saying, capitol police asked the troops to temporarily relocate to a garage with heat and restroom facilities. lawmakers overnight demanding answers. illinois senator tammy duckworth, an army veteran who served in iraq, calling the situation unreal. tweeting, i can't believe the same brave service members we've been asking to protect our capitol and our constitution these last two weeks would be unceremoniously ordered to vacate the building. north carolina congressman madison cawthorn delivering pizza to the troops. tweeting, no soldier will ever, ever sleep on a garage floor in the u.s. congress while i'm in thest congress. our troops deserve better."

an apology had been issued. those troops marched back to the capitol overnight. the national guard bureau says approximately 10,600 were on duty on thursday afternoon and that arrangements are being made to send 15,000 of these soldiers home as soon as possible. craig? >> kasie hunt for us there. hard to believe how that can happen. >> the images are ridiculous. okay. it is now 19 minutes after 7:00. mr. roker back from washington. good to see your smiling face. how you doing? >> good seeing a lot of the guardsmen out there walking around. they could not have been sweeter, nicer. kept us all safe. we thank them for that. let's take a look right now. we have winter weather advisories, lake-effect snow warnings. upstate new york, parts of new england. we're watching the great lakes. they're only 4% ice covered, so there's lots of moisture there available as these winds come across the lake and then cool

down and drop tons of snow from watertown, syracuse, rochester, buffalo, erie, pennsylvania. snowfall amounts, 1 to 6 inches of snow. locally we could be seeing some places getting 10 inches to a foot of snow or more before it's all over. rest of the country, sharply colder air coming into the plains, temperatures dropping 10 to 20 degrees. a lot of heavy rain down south. sunshine through the southwest. sierra snow firing up, and we could be talking snow in feet. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. 12 with 5g. right now, get the iphone 12 on us on every single plan. switch now and save 20% on your bill versus the other guys. and that''s not anan introductory rate, that's the best value in wireless. that's right. the iphone 12 on us. on americaca's 5g l leader in coverage. and save 20% per month. share big moments and big savings at t-mobile.

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're watching our next storm system coming in, already bringing in some light rain, but we could see the chance of some heavier downpours and some thunderstorms as this colder air arrives in the bay area. we'll only make it into the low 50s today u off and on showers, a break from the rain tomorrow, but still a high of only about 56 degrees for the inland valleys. another storm system comes in on sunday into monday, and may bring some snow to our bay area hills. guys? >> al, thank you. still to come, new details overnight on the future of the tokyo olympics, now just six months away. why officials insist a report of cancellation say it is untrue. and one of the team usa's biggest stars, simone biles. we'll chat with her. after this week's peaceful transition of power in washington, what happens now to extremist groups like qanon? kate snow's eye-opening interviews with one supporter, and the experts who study the

movement, you'll be surprised movement, you'll be surprised what they're saying.

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the 2020 tokyo olympic games. maggie steffens who played water polo at monta vista high behind me and later at stanford going for her third olympic gold in summer in what she believes will be the most important olympic games ever. we will t will be abopportunity for the united states to portray its resilience during this fight against covid-19. kari has a look at our forecast, that includes some rain. >> yes, we are so happy to see some rain coming in, some scattered showers will be off and on for us across the bay area and in between we could see some breaks with some sunshine, but then some heavy downpours, potentially even a few thunderstorms as we go into late morning into the afternoon, and by the evening, we'll start to see this activity tapering off, by tomorrow looking at sunshine but still some cool temperatures about you this rain moving through will be a big boost to the very dry conditions we're

seeing across the bay area. we're heading back to winter over the next few days. >> we certainly need it. thanks, kari. i'll be back in a half hour with another update.

back at 7:30 now with our exclusive look at the new oval office revamped for the nation's new leader there you have it right there. just ahead, we're going to take you inside and take a look at the significance behind the portraits that president biden chose, some of the pictures that he put up in the office. even brought back an old rug, as well we'll have that for you coming up. >> i see rosa parks there peter got a nice exclusive. let's get you caught up on the 7:30 headlines good news on a vaccine front johnson & johnson says the company could significantly increase the nation's covid-19 vaccination supply in the coming

weeks. the company is aiming to hav enough vaccines for 100 million americans by spring. dr. anthony fauci says johnson & johnson has sufficient data from its late-stage vaccine trial to begin the analysis soon. approval could come shortly after that. some central washingto state residents were evacuated overnight because of a risk of an ammonia tank explosion. people in warden, washington, were ordered to leave their houses immediately after a fire broke out at a potato processing facility thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. ford is recalling 3 million vehicles to replace potentially defective takata airbags those could rupture during a crash. the impacted vehicles are older model fords, including ranger, fusion, and edge, as well as some lincoln and mercury models. for more on the recall, you can go to our website at today.com meanwhile, today marks six

months until the opening of the pandemic-delayed olympics. >> six months today. overnight, officials and organizers in tokyo spoke out denying reports that the games could be canceled. "today" senior international correspondent keir simmons joins us from london with the latest late-breaking news there, keir. >> reporter: hey, hoda hey, craig that's right the olympic organizers insisting the games will go ahead despite a coronavirus crisis in japan, despite the japanese prime minister saying vaccinations there won't be approved until february, and despite a recent poll of japanese people saying most of them, 80%, favor canceling the games or delaying them again once again this morning, doubt over the delayed tokyo 2020 olympics the venues are ready, and the japanese government overnight denying a report in a british newspaper that it is considering cancellation japan's olympic organizers saying some news reports

circulating today are claiming that the government of japan has privately concluded that the olympic and paralympic games tokyo 2020 will have to be canceled this is categorically untrue but japanese hospitals are close to collapse. with almost 5,000 new coronavirus infections on monday and tokyo is under a state of emergency with new infectious strains detected. japan's prime minister insisting we will be well prepared on anti-virus measures. >> we are confident about delivering the games this summer >> reporter: a spokesperson for the games telling nbc news they will decide on spectator numbers in the spring. >> we are not willing to see the games take place behind closed doors. we are hoping to see the games in their celebration atmosphere by accommodating as many spectators as possible

>> reporter: five times olympic gold medalist, katie ledecky, is trying to stay focused. >> it's been a little crazy, but i've been focused on the olympics and just planning as though they're happening really training with that in mind. >> reporter: cancellation would be a huge financial blow to japan, the world's third largest economy. one report this week says the games have cost more than $3.7 billion. katie ledecky says if they can't safely be held, she'll stay positive. >> i'm going to be swimming for a good while still, i think. i definitely want to swim through 2024 the olympics there you know, then the olympics in 2020 are in los angeles and that's pretty appealing as a athlete, to have a home olympics. >> reporter: but for this year, millions of fans are left waiting to see whether the summer will bring something to cheer about. >> boy, katie has the right

attitude there, keir so we're six months from the olympics today when will the final, final decision be made, as to whether or not the olympics will go on >> reporter: well, hoda, i think a crucial date to watch is march the 25th that's when the olympic torch will set off in northern japan four months later, it will arrive in tokyo. remember, it was late march last year that they postponed the olympics the challenge is the headache for organizers with an event as big as this, as we discovered through a bit of experience, is infections just move so fast hoda >> keir, thank you so much by the way, we're going to talk to simone biles in a little bit. >> yeah. >> have a live interview with her. she's training as if the olympics are happening i look forward to catching up with her. >> we talk about the health considerations and safety considerations and the financial impact, but athletes like simone, who have been training their entire lives, your heart goes out to them. ahead, inside qanon's future

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the #1 h hyaluronic c acid momoisturizerr delivevers 2x the hydratation for supplele, bouncy s skin. neutrogenana®. with "in depth today," for months, we've been reporting on qanon, some solidly behind president trump, and some took part in the violent siege on the capitol. >> but with a new administration in place now, will qanon live on that's the big question. nbc's senior national correspondent kate snow has been looking into it for us kate, good morning what'd you find? >> good morning, craig in a court filing, the fbi described qanon as a sprawling, anti--establishment conspiracy theory. it was built around posts from an anonymous figure called q, who supposedly is a high-level government official. for those who bought in, inauguration day was supposed to

be pivotal >> reporter: many of those who believe the unfounded conspiracies and prophecies of qanon expected january 20th to be judgment day. they believe the falsehood that former president trump was helping fight an elite satanic kabal that abuses children >> they anticipated that donald trump would declare martial law and be president at least another four years, at least and all their enemies would be rounded up and the truth would be revealed. >> reporter: when president biden took the oath, there was confusion and disappointment how long does it take for the fed to arrest him? anyone else feeling letdown? a top board qanon administrator wrote, we gave it our all. now, keep our chins up and go back to our lives as soon as best we are able but that's just some qanon supporters this processor studies the movement. >> there's one group of qanon who are just rolling with it, who are coming up with new narratives, new conspiracies,

that trump is still really the president, that the military is going to take over in a couple of days. >> reporter:till others are simply waiting i know some q believers talk about a storm coming >> yes i believe that's going to come possibly even today. possibly even today. >> reporter: we first met john pope outside pittsburgh in october. >> we're led to believe that q could very well be jfk jr. >> reporter: do you believe jfk jr. is arrive? >> something in my heart tells me yes. >> reporter: except that he died in a plane crash john says he wasn't sure what to expect on inauguration day, and he still has faith an awakening is coming. the mysterious q has only posted four times since election day. >> q never set any dates we just follow q and what q says anything outside of q is outside, which q says, don't listen to outside comms. >> reporter: you're waiting for q's signal >> yeah. q -- well, there will be an emergency broadcast system basically, everybody is going to see everything with evidence and stuff.

>> reporter: professor marwick said some who are profiting off q and q merchandise will keep the mythology going, but she worries disillusioned supporters might be attracted to darker ideologies. >> i think there's group of people right now who are ver vulnerable to even more extremist belief systems once they're disillusioned with q they might turn to, you know, white nationalism or to militias or doomsday prepping those are people who have lost something that was very central to their identity. they're going to be looking for something else >> my goodness kate, it is all so troubling any evidence at this point that extremist groups, other extremist groups, are looking to recruit some of these qanon members? >> yeah, craig, actually, there is we've already seen posts on telegram, for example, telling white nationalists how to recruit former qanon adherents my colleague, ben collins, who you saw has found some of the

qanon influencers are already moved on to other conspiracy theories and are taking their followers with them. >> how do you make a living off qanon, kate, quickly? >> there's a lot of merchandise. you saw it in our video. you saw the hats and shirts. there are a lot of people who have actually marketed the q phenomenon >> okay. kate snow, thank you all right. 7:44 i think this is a good time to exhale and check in with mr. roker. get a check of the weather >> why not all right. let's take a look. now, we have had this persistent pattern so far for the winter out west warm and dry above average precipitation up into the pacific northwest they're on track for the wettest winter so far. but it has meant a lot of drought out west we have a big pattern change coming that's going to be bringing a lot of wet weather down into the southern part of california and across the southwest. plus, cold air being drawn down. this is by saturday. part of the system is going to be making its way across the country. sunday, heavy rain for texas

by monday, the snow and ice in the midwest, into the mid-atlantic states. heavy rain through the southeast. by tuesday, that storm transfers off the coast. we're looking at a decent amount of snow right now. a band of snow from new york all the way into the midwest we're going to continue to track it this one has the potential to bring a lot of snow across a lot of the country that's what's going on around >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a look at the radar, it's so nice to finally see some rain coming in. it starts out light but we will see some more scattered showers going into the afternoon, but take a look at today's high temperatures. inland valleys will only reach up to about 56 degrees and cold tonight. we'll take a break from the rain tomorrow but another storm coming in by sunday that could bring in some snow on some of our bay area hills and heavier rain into early next week. >> that's your latest weather. hoda >> al, thank you. coming up next, can tom brady reach yet another super bowl

well, get ready for this weekend's final four in the nfl, with a live report from tampa coming up right after thisis rig. action!! faster, , faster! theyey're gainining on you!! ♪♪ [e[engine revvvving] that's's good! comome on come! [spookoky laugh] okay now!! ♪♪ [yelling]] ♪ [yelling]] i have t the power t to lr mymy blood sugugar and a1c1. because i cand sugugar and a1c1. stilill make myy own ininsulin. and d trulicityy activatetes my b body to r release itt activatetes my b body like i it's supposed t to. like i itrulicicity is foror supposedtype 2 d diabetes. itit's nonot insulin.n. and i i only need d to takeke it once a a week. plus, itit lowers ththe rk of carardiovasculalar events. trululicity isn'n't for r pee with t type 1 diababetes trululicity isn'n't for r pee oror diabetic c ketoacidosos.

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>> carson, good morning. that's right we talked to bills quarterback josh allen this has the potential, guys, to be an epic playoff football weekend, after which we're going to know who is coming to tampa bay for the super bowl aaron rodgers and tom brady scoring off for the first time ever in the playoffs that's the early game. the night cap, two guys who could be leading the league for years to come. >> from the three, brady throws. pass caught, evans touchdown. >> reporter: this sunday's slate of nfl games is a who's who of the biggest names in the sportp time ever since brady the bucs tom brady and packers aaron rodgers in the early contest going toe to toe in the playoffs for the first time ever since brady spent his whole career with the patriots, until this season. >> how it should be, you know? the two best teams in a conference should be getting together, seeing how it all goes down. >> obviously, tommy's had an amazing career i remember when i heard the news about him coming to the nfc. i thought this was a real possibility. i'm excited about the

opportunity to play against him one more time. >> reporter: for the late game, the showcase of the nfl's rising stars at quarterback including the bills josh allen, who took the league by storm in year three >> it's cool to be mentioned in the same breath as guys like tom and aaron and pat. we don't want to just end here we have a bigger goal in mind. >> reporter: standing in his way, the reigning super bowl mvp, kansas city chiefs quarterback patrick mahomes, who had to leave the divisional game and is in the concussion protocol he's practiced without contact this week. >> pat looked good out there did a nice job, when he was doing it looks like he's moving around well he feels good. >> reporter: assuming mahomes plays, we asked nbc sports analyst peter king, who has been covering the league for 37 years, to put this weekend in context. could it get any better for an nfl fan? >> you've got two of the ten best quarterbacks in nfl history

meeting in the preliminary you know, in the first game. then you've got two of the best young quarterbacks to come into football over the last four years. they, one day, could both be in the top ten quarterbacks of all time >> king says maybe the most amazing stat of all, this is going to be tom brady's 14th conference championship. if he were to win on sunday, this might be tompa bay from this point forward. >> tompa bay >> i like what you did there. >> look at that. >> tompa i see what you did there, sam. that was a good one. thanks for the report. appreciate it. guys, i think the one thing we all can agree on, the winner here will be a fan of football no matter the matchup, it'll be a great super bowl. >> you got that righght. jujust ahead, , your firsts inside p president b biden's ov office, , after thisis with m moderate toto severe crohn's didisease, i was therere, just nonot alws where i i needed to o be.

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with p pure retinonol from l'oréal paparis. . a very good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. we learned of a huge loss in the world of baseball. hank aaron has died. nbc sports desk tweeting out the news. in 1974, aaron broke babe ruth's record, hitting his 715th home run. aaron was 86 years old. here's what's happening now. >> good morning, i'm cierra johnson in san francisco at city college, one of the first mass vaccination sites to open in the bay area. behind me you can see the white tents where the folks who receive those vaccinations, this is a drive-through concept, similar to the drive-through covid testing sites, although here timing is crucial because they have to time the thawing of the vaccinations with your

appointment. so far, 500 people reserved slots for vaccination, this is by appointment only. the rain coming down across the bay area. kari has a look at our forecast. >> it is so great to see that rain coming in, because it's been so warm and dry. so we're starting out with some light spotty showers but heavier rain headed in, as we go into this late morning and into the afternoon. we'll see some who are rain in the forecast especially with these cool temperatures continuing into early next week. laura? >> all right, thanks so much, kari. we'll be back with another local news update for new half an hour. have a good friday morning.

it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, wartime effort. president biden unveils his plans to tackle the coronavirus crisis >> to a nation waiting for action, let me be the clearest on this point. help is on the way >> this morning, the emergency action to boost vaccine distribution, and the new federal mask mandate under way as dr. anthony fauci returns to the briefing room with a glimmer of hope. >> if we get 70% to 85% of the country vaccinated, i believe by the time we get to the fall, we will be approaching a degree of normality. >> we are live with the latest

then office makeover white house edition. >> this is the new oval office the day one oval office. >> from new paintings to photographs, how president biden is putting his own stamp on the iconic space an exclusive look inside the white house straight ahead plus, game on. overnight, the international olympic committee saying the tokyo games will take place this summer just ahead, we'll talk to gymnastics legend simone biles about the games, her training, and a lot more ♪ i got friends ♪ and he's got friends the reason behind this big thank you from garth brooks to lady gaga's hair and makeup team, after his powerful performance at the nation's capitol. why he says they saved a cowboy. today, friday, january 22nd, 2021 ♪ >> happy birthday. >> double the celebration this morning.

our girls are turning 3. >> sweet 1 >> i'm on the "today" show hi, grandpa. ♪ i need you ♪ >> good evening from germany currently serving overseas and wishing my wife, alex, a very happy birthday on her favorite morning show, the "today" show i love you ♪ >> and we love you, and we thank you for your service i think that was our perfect friday morning right there welcome back, guys it is friday we're so happy that you are beginning your day with us >> starting your weekend with us savannah is not starting her weekend with us. she's got a well-deserved day off. hopefully she slept in even if she slept in, i bet she set the dvr. you can, as well, for 7:00 a.m you've missed half the show. >> for the record, i'm saying i doubt she set her dvr. hopefully she's resting. let's get to your news at 8:00 president joe biden started putting his covid battle plan into action, but he's also reminding americans that the country faces an uphill fight. "weekend today" co-host and white house correspondent peter

alexander joins us good morning. >> nice to see you this friday president biden is vowing to wage what he calls a full-scal wartime effort to fight the covid pandemic also, a dire warning, 100,000 americans could die of covid in the next month the president signing more executive orders thursday, looking to accelerate vaccinations to invoke the production act also requiring americans to wear masks on interstate trains, planes, and buses. you noted it but dr. fauci back in the briefing room for the first time in months, pointing to one positive sign that the number of cases may be plateauing, and also giving his long-term prognosis. >> if we get 70% to 85% of the country vaccinated, i believe by the time we get to the fall we will be approaching a degree of normality.

>> president biden today signs two more executive orders, focusing on the economic impact of the pandemic. hoda and craig >> meantime, peter, never thought i'd be talking to you about redecorating, but i will every new president gets to do a re-do in the oval office kind of reflecting their own personalities. you got a front row seat, an exclusive look what's different >> for sure. this was a unique experience just to pull back the curtains, or in this case, the drapes, i guess, which by the way ar the same ones that presidents trump and clinton used, we saw the transfer of power this week, but also, the transformation of the oval office. one of america's most revered places for each president, the symbols there set the tone about who inspires them and who they hope to inspire >> reporter: this morning, a new look for the oval office, the room at the center of the american presidency. president biden putting his imprints on the iconic space, surrounding himself with portraits of presidents past like fdr, who led the country through times of crisis. and political rivals alexander hamilton and thomas jefferson,

emphasizing the value of differing views in a democracy replacing a painting of andrew jackson that stared back at president trump, one of america's founding fathers, benjamin franklin, highlighting president biden's promise to follow science the oval remains unchanged, but what's inside captures the identity and priorities of each president. our guide, deputy director of oval office operations, ashley williams. >> it is the day one oval office. >> reporter: among those celebrated here, a series of american heros martin luther king jr., rosa parks, and robert f. kennedy, who, like biden, endured his share of personal tragedies. at the president's back, latino labor leade cesar chavez, looking out for the working man. alongside photos of president biden's family what message is president biden sending with this oval office? >> it is about the american people about the diversity of experience, the resilience, and the possibilities of the american future. >> reporter: and anchoring the

room, the resolute desk, shared by so many before him, where some of the most consequential decisions in this nation's history have been made gone, the flags of all the military branches that framed president trump. what's back, that dark blue rug from the clinton years a remake of the world's most powerful office, and a reflection of who we are as a nation really a unique opportunity, to kind of just soak in that room spotted behind the resolute desk, a picture of the president and the pope, an ode to joe biden's faith. how does the president come up with the portraits i asked ashley, and she said the incoming president is offered book by the usher's office with a selection of items from the white house to consider. it remains a work in progress, but president biden will add more items in the months to come. hoda and craig >> they do not waste any time. peter alexander at the white house. thank you. >> that was fascinating. now to the excitement surrounding not one, but two lottery jackpots tonight's mega millions prize

stands at nearly $1 billion. that makes it the third largest in u.s. history. and the search is on this morning for wednesday's $731 million powerball winner that lucky ticket sold in a small maryland town. that is where we find nbc's kathy park, who apparently did not win because she's at work for us this morning. hey there, kathy >> yeah, and my parents live about a couple hours from here, and they didn't win either the parks are out of luck. any case, we are in the small town of lonaconing, maryland, 2 1/2 hours outside of washington, d.c. the winning ticket was purchased here at the coney market in fact, it was purchased at this register a couple days ago. we don't know who bought the winning ticket here in maryland, you can stay anonymous. >> reporter: this morning, there is big buzz around coney market. this small convenience store in

northwestern maryland just sold the winning powerball ticket, worth a life-changing $731 million. >> that much money, you can make sure everybody was happy the rest of their life >> reporter: it's possible the winner is from this former coal mining town of lonaconing with a population of roughly 1,200. lottery officials say no one has come forward yet when they do, we may never know who collects the prize the sixth largest jackpot in u.s. history. >> you can stay anonymous. we're all about making sure and accommodating our winners. >> reporter: locals here can't contain their excitement, as they try to figure out who struck it rich. >> very happy for whoever won. >> reporter: but the store owner says you can cross him out did you play yourself? >> no. >> reporter: why not >> i just forgot >> reporter: okay. some customers are hoping the luck will rub off again tonight. this time, with $970 million up

for grabs through mega millions. people across the country may have lottery fever, but the odds of matching all five numbers plus the mega ball is 1 in more than 300 million >> i'm always lucky, but i never win. >> so the countdown is on. the mega millions drawing is in a couple of hours from now craig, since i'm here, i can pick you up a couple of tickets, you and hoda. >> i'd love it. >> also interesting to note -- i got three. i can share. also important to note, here at the coney market, the owner will actually get $100,000 for selling the winning powerball ticket he says that he was actually going to share some of his new wealth and also spruce up his place he's had for six years back to you. >> kathy park, we have video documentation. if you win, i get a third. thank you. >> me, too by the way, i hope the ticket isn't folded up in the bottom of someone's pocket everyone, check your pockets if you bought a ticket there. >> would you stay anonymous.

>> probably anonymous. >> we'd know if you disappeared. what happened to hoda kotb all right, kiddos. we have a morning boost i think you're going to like rosa has been cleaning apartments in new york city in a building for 20 years, but the pandemic has been tough on her family they had to move in with her sister so some people rosa works for planned a wonderful surprise she was shown a huge, sunny, renovated penthouse, thinking she'd have to clean it that's when rosa found out jus how much she was appreciated >> i have here a little contract for a two-year lease on this unit they're taking care of it. all you have to do is sign and take the keys, and this unit is yours. >> oh, my god. no, this isn't real. >> we really appreciate what you've done. this is your apartment all yours. >> rosa is loved they say she has the kind of

smile that makes everybody feel better they just paid it forward. welcome home, rosa. >> my goodness that's a friday boost. thank you for that up next, nbc news investigates the new covid concern. vaccine hoarding cynthia mcfadden will explain right after this ♪ thihis is the f first day o y lilife♪ ♪ i was b born right t in the doorway♪ ♪ i d don't know w where i am♪ ♪ i don't't know wherere i've b♪ ♪ but i knonow where i i wanna♪ you u have all t the ingredids for r this in yoyour fridgee but t ask yourseself this... of all t the times you'veve made it a at home... has itit ever taststed likeke our mcmufuffin?

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they release medicine fast for fast pain relief. tylenol rapid release gels. (chihild laughs)s) they release medicine fast for fast no-- relief. we're m making breaeakfast! (ding) yes, chehef. chef, , behind. ththank you, c chef. brbreakfast seservice is a a . isis your sousus chef a bubusse? get t your wins s where you u. (dining) l'l'eggo witith eggo we are back, 8:17, with nbc news investigates. this morning, a glaring concern with the global vaccine rollout. >> much of the world breathed a sigh of relief thursday when dr. fauci announced the united states wouldn't be pulling out of the world health organization, but rather, join in the effort to get the vaccine to other parts of the world. >> given the distribution problems here at home, you might ask, why would that be in america's best interest? nbc's cynthia mcfadden joins us to explain this. good morning >> good morning.

well, consider this, a small1/7 population, alr group of very wealthy nations, including the u.s., representing about 1/7th of the world's population, already locked up more than half of the available vaccines experts tell us if this continues, it'll be bad not only for poorer nations, but for us, as well. perhaps extending the pandemic by years that's where covax comes in. >> reporter: the numbers are stunning canada has already pre-ordered number vaccine to inoculate every citizen nearly six times the u.s. has enough purchase options to vaccinate everyone nearly five times, leaving the rest of the world scrambling. >> the pfizer vaccine, theastrao moderna vaccine, the astrazeneca oxford vaccine, all the doses for this coming year has been claimed. >> reporter: the hoarding, he says, must stop. >> australia, canada, and japan have less than 1% of the

coronavirus cases, but they have more doses than all of latin america and the caribbean, which have close to 20%. >> reporter: who is the judge? who gets to hammer the gavel and say, "we've got to make this more equitable"? is there anyone? >> there is no one. >> reporter: why does it matter? >> until everybody in the world is safe, no one is safe. this is a pandemic if one country is left unvaccinated, this disease will bounce back in force >> reporter: a leading epidemiologist helped eradicate smallpox many americans feel, once i've gotten my vaccine, we're good to go there's no problem we're completely protected is that true >> no, it couldn't be more wrong. first of all, you'll have to wear a mask, practice social distancing even after you're vaccinated there's so much we don't know about this disease >> reporter: the doctor says vaccine nationalism could result in a tragic boomerang.

>> i can't think of an epidemic when it wasn't true, the rich push themselves to the front of the line doesn't matter as much in anything as it does with infectious disease where being at the front of the line doesn't help you as much as making sure everyone comes across the line comes out of desperation and fear. >> reporter: that's where covax comes in a coalition of global health players, including the world health organization and unicef the starting goal? buy 2 billion doses of vaccine to inoculate 20% of the world's 100 or so poorest countries. is it fair to say this is the greatest logistical undertaking in history? seen before in g >> it is the greatest logistical challenge that on a scale we have not seen before in global public health. >> reporter: securing all those doses falls in shan gandhi's lap. in order to get prepared for this, a billion syringes >> thousands of plane journeys from the factory gate to the ports of entry in every country. it is mind-boggling numbers.

>> reporter: although they may have contracted for nearly 2 billion doses, at the moment the cupboard is bare you don't have your hands on them yet >> we don't have them yet. >> reporter: are the plans too ambitious? >> it's not too big, it's too small. it doesn't have the funding and the resources it needs we need to have it in order to succeed. >> reporter: the covax initiative right now has how much money in hand >> around $2 billion. >> reporter: how much do you need to make it all happen >> around $17 billion for everything >> reporter: there are a lot of people say this is too expensive for america to get involved with. >> this is way too expensive for america not to get involved with how can we not afford the billions of dollars that will save the trillions of dollars? >> reporter: there could be other critical consequences, as well front line workers are needed to keep vulnerable populations around the world afloat. >> if we don't vaccinate those front line workers, we might see a resurgence of measles or polio that we were so close to

eradicating. >> reporter: this fragile ecosystem isn't protected. we could experience something worse, the collapse of all the underpinnings that supported these kids and their families. >> absolutely. no child and no individual is safe until everyone is safe. >> so we do have a bit of what looks like very promising news sources have told nbc news that later today covax will announce it has secured some millions of doses of the pfizer vaccine. so that much-promised rollout will be able to begin very soon. it is a hopeful sign to the rest of the world we should take it as one, as well back to you guys >> it is a global pandemic >> glad cynthia shined a light on that. had no idea. >> thank you we'll send it to mr. roker for a check of the weather. >> lake-effort snow, foot in the northeast. sharply colder in the plains heavy rain through the gulf coast. another storm system moving into

the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around . good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a look at the radar, some spotty light rain moving through. but we will see some heavier rain into late morning as well as the afternoon, even a chance of some thunderstorms here or there as we will see the center of the storm system moving closer. high temperatures today, only reach the low 50s. and we'll take a break from the rain tomorrow but only expect a high of about 56 degrees. some upper 40s in the forecast on sunday as another storm system moves in. >> that's your latest weather. hoda. >> thank you. it is time for "pop start. carson is working from home. hey, honey. >> graphics up this morning. we're going to start with garth brooks, as teased before, and lady gaga. the country legend sent a thank you to the pop superstar and her hair and makeup team after these amazing performances at the

presidential inauguration. ♪ amazing grace how sweet the sound ♪ ♪ ♪ gav ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ >> so while they both looked great for the camera, seems like maybe garth needed a little help, some touch-ups behind the scenes following the inauguration, garth took to twitter and wrote, lady gaga, you were fabulous today and every day. a national treasure. please tell frederick and ms. sarah thank you for me they saved the cowboy today. oh, and tell ms. sarah to hug her mom for me that is reference to frederick love garth in reference to frederic aspiras and sarah tanno, who garth is thanking, lady gaga's longtime hair and makeup team what did garth show up to the inauguration looking like?

i'd like to see the before >> frederic saying, it was truly an honor helping with your hair and your beautiful inauguration performance. there you go behind the scenes on "pop start" today. next up, you're featured here, at least you are, hoda we'll get to it. al and hoda in the new issue of "people" magazine, hitting newsstands nationwide today. the latest issue launches a new campaign called "why i'm getting vaccinated." inside, you'll hear from notable people and learn their reasons for getting vaccinated including al and hoda. al saying he got his vaccine, quote, because we're all in this together hoda saying she's getting hers for her family and, quote, for every single person who i pass by, who i walk by, and who i see. which is great we want to mention our parent company, comcast nbc universal, wants to help with your vaccination planning you can go to planyourvaccine.com or hold your camera on your phone up to the qr code at the bottom of the

screen get more information either of those ways >> carson, thank you so much >> thanks, buddy how do you feel after -- we don't have time. >> feeling good. straight ahead, guess who we have, simone biles >> simone! good morning, everyone, oos 8:26, i'm scott mcgrew. derekal men in a is expected to agree to a plea deal in a matter of hours in connection www.oakland warehouse fire that killed 36 people in 2016. he's expected to plead guilty to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. the deal would avoid a second trial after jurors could not reach a verdict the first time. the east bay times reports almena will receive a nine year sentence, not clear how much more time he will serve given his time already confined. let's check in with kari and a rainy forecast.

>> we'll see off and on showers today and temperatures much cooler, only reaching about 52 degrees for the inland valleys and the rain will start to taper off tonight. i'll have a chance of a few thunderstorms as well. but by tomorrow we'll see mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50s, and the new storm system coming in on sunday will bring in additional cold air, temperatures dipping to near freezing. if we do still have rain in the area we could see some snow capping our bay area hills and more rain in the forecast next week. scott? >> kari, thank you, we'll have another local news update for you coming up in a half an hour, we'll see you then.

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we are back. 8:30 it is friday or fri-yay. >> fri-yay. >> come on that's what i'm talking about. >> weekend is upon us. first, before we start the weekend, we have one of our favorite stars >> okay. been waiting for this one. the one, the only, oh! simone and her baby. oh my. i hear the dog snores. anyway -- >> he does. >> -- we'll talk to her about the tokyo olympics the question swirling around the game, we're going to ask her a lot of questions about her puppy. is that rambo? >> yes, this is rambo. >> of course all right. we'll come visit with you in a little bit. >> okay.

after we hang out with rambo, with months of winter still ahead, our "today" best-sellers to keep you warm and stylish the rest of the season here's the best part, they're all under 40 bucks even the coat. we'll do that in a few minutes. of course, we always love when our buddy elizabeth heiskell joins us. there she is hi, y'all! this morning, man, guac to dogs to tacos she's got everything you're going to need to eat as yo enjoy the nfl's championship sunday. >> good. just ahead on the "3rd hour of today," the great olivia newton john is going to tell us about teaming up with her daughter for a special song for a great moment next week, al, you're going to be taking over our "start today" campaign. what do you have cooking >> we're going to focus on all forms of wellness with the help of a lifestyle coach we're talking about tips for healthy eating, how to stick to your workout routine, recipes to

boost your immune system, and a whole lot more. carson, we love you, but we're not talking about you. we're talking about your littl boy, jack, has an assignment coming up. what does he have cooking? >> it's funny, seeing simone's dog made me think of jack's got an exclusive tomorrow nigh on "nbc kids." he does an interview with the delaware humane society wher the biden family got major, their german shepherd. first ever dog in the white house from a shelter they had a big in-dog-uration. raised a bunch of money for a good cause our graphics department has that exclusive on "nightly news kids" tomorrow >> way to go, jack. >> give us a thumbs up, jack >> he must have gone to school. >> running to the school bus. >> multi-tasking. >> how about a check of the weather, mr. roker >> starting off with tomorrow, colder temps in the northeast. we have a swath of snow from the upper midwest all the way into

the rockies. rain down through the southwest. sunshine in the pacific northwest. sunday, sunday, look at heavy rain through the lower mississippi river valley another big west coast storm comes on shore look for snow from the four corners all the way into new england. i should say, the great lakes. new england will be later in the week that's what's going on around good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. so nice to see some rain, even if it is starting out light and spotty but it will be a welcome change going into the weekend especially with our rain chances today, some of those downpours may be heavy at times and even a chance of thunderstorms late morning into the afternoon. high temperatures will only reach into the 50s and even colder as a second storm system comes in on sunday. we're going to see our temperatures reaching into the 50s into next week. >> and that's your latest weather. cutting a swath over to hoda. >> thank you, my darling

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welcome back today marks six months until the pandemic-delayed tokyo olympics. overnight, the international olympic committee released a statement to address new questions about the future, saying, in part, they are fully concentrated on and committed to the successful delivery of the tokyo 2020 games with that being said, why don't we bring in one of our favorites, a person who knows a thing or two about the olympics, gymnastics legend simone biles simone, first of all, i was like, you know, fridays make me happy, but you know what makes me happier than fridays? fridays with simone biles. how are you doing, honey >> i'm good. how are you? i saw the news yesterday, and then, to see the ioc and everybody kind of put out the

news put my mind at ease yesterday, i was sitting on the couch and my phone was blowing up i really did not know what to think. i was like, oh goodness, here we go again like, let's see. then that night my agent text me some articles and kind of eased me >> exhaled it's got to be whiplashy i was thinking about you, actually when i saw the news break, i was thinking to myself, oh my gosh, simone has been training for 2021 how does this affect you emotionally when you hear all this back and forth going on >> yeah, i mean, it is kind of crazy, but it's to be expected i mean, we are in a pandemic we're kind of ready for whatever life throws at us at this point. we're training as if whatever happens, happens. we have to do what is safe for the rest of the world. for ourselves, make sure everyone is healthy. hopefully the olympics can still be put on, even if it means we're in a bubble. i'll basically do anything at

this moment. i know other sports have gone and done testing every day it just is a matter of time until we hear what the olympic committee has to say and what their precautions are going to be going forward whatever they say they want us to do, i'm in 100% i've been training so hard, and i've just been so ready. the delay has been hard on all athletes around the world. i'm not alone. but i'm sure everyone feels the same >> well, i just picture you now. i know you're training six hours, flipping around i look at the video of you doing the triple -- what's it called -- a triple back pike with your legs fully extended into that pile i mean, you're really working it are you training virtually is your coach, like, on zoom, or what are you doing >> so a couple weeks ago, my coaches came back last week to in person because,

unfortunately, their daughter got covid and then they had it they were quarantined for three weeks. we did do covid coaching virtually. we set up tripods in the gym so we could still be in there that worked pretty well. they're back in the gym last week it's been exciting to get back on track and just train for the olympics >> well, i know you're focused on the 2021 olympics i think i read in a couple of articles, and i don't know if this is true, but please say it isn't, that 2021 may be your final olympics then i saw nellie biles say she wasn't so sure mama said maybe not. do you think this will be your final olympics >> you know, with the delay, i just have to take it one day at a time, see how my body feels. i definitely do feel older every morning whenever i wake up and go into the gym. so i just am really listening to my body and seeing how it goes my main focus is the 2021 olympics, and then we'll see

from there >> well, let me ask you about another topic. your boyfriend is so cute. okay look, i don't zoom in on the pictures like that, but he is real cute. how does it feel you look -- i mean, i've seen you happy. you know, you've won gold medals. >> thank you. >> i don't know if i've seen that smile. >> right. >> what is it about him? >> no, he's a real man i just love him. we have a great time together. our personalities match right up we have the same sense of humor. he's just great. he's an athlete, too, so we really understand each other i think that's why our relationship has been seamless he also has a bulldog, so i feel like, besides him being a cherry on top, that was amazing our dogs get along well. >> i love the dogs i love how you said there's so much snoring in your house, it is hard to sleep the dogs, him, everybody lefts it go. >> yes, yes. but it's not even us it's really our dogs we just have to listen to that sound. it's like a sound machine falling asleep

look at rambo. >> come on, you're so happy. >> he graduated from puppy school. >> well, congratulations i like that you posted a picture that said, is this the real way bulldogs sit his legs were sticking out underneath. >> he's more flexible than me. it's insane. he has some great hamstrings we need to train. >> simone, i am looking forward to seeing you in tokyo in six months from today. i hope to be interviewing you there. i want to wish you the best of luck we love you and can't wait. >> thank you. >> we'll see you soon, okay? >> yes, thank you so much, hoda. thank you, "today" show family love you, guys. >> love you back you'll be able to watch the tokyo olympics on the tworne of nbc by the way, check out more interviews with your favorite olympians on today all day on the website and also peacock 3:30 today. coming up next, the viral fashion trends everyone wants this winter, and our "today" team found them for under 40 bucks.

. "today" best sellers is created by "today" and promote "today best-sellers" is created by "today" and promoted by amazon. >> back at 8:43 with "today" best sellers today, we're upgrading your winter wardrobe with the hottest bargains everything under 40 bucks. >> shop today editorial director joins us with more good to see you, adriana good morning. >> great to see you guys >> the 40 bucks thing really stunned us why don't we get started with that shearling jacket? i was thinking maybe everything else could be under 40 bucks, but i don't know about that. >> hoda, that's right. we've got you covered. we searched amazon to find affordable, trendy finds the faux shearling jacket is no exception. it's such a huge trend right now, but it can be so expensive. coats can cost hundreds of dollars. we found this reader favorite for $33.99

it comes in over 30 differen colors and styles, including a nice blazer version. it's super stylish super cozy most of all, super warm. you're going to want to get your hands on this one. >> looks like a good one you also have a good one a lot of people are wearing cozies while at home, sweatpants and things like that you have something that ups that a little bit >> absolutely. i don't know about you, but when i'm on video calls, i'm probably going to be in a matching jogger set because you can only see my face jogger sets that are matching are a huge trend right now it is a work from home uniform anyone can wear it we found this super affordable set available in all these different colors, including tie-dye, which believe it or not, tie-dye is back it is lightweight and so, so soft you'll want to live in this all winter long. >> we have something there for a classic look to work into the rotation, i understand, adriana. >> craig, yes. i love a good classic. everyone loves a classic piece you can wear over and over

again. we have this cable knit turtleneck, cable knit sweater that's super cozy and stylish. wear it with anything in your closet, from jeans and boots to leggings i love it is a little oversized and forgiving when you're wearing it, which is awesome. >> adriana, for those of us going outside a lot, you have some stuff to help us upgrade our wardrobe outside >> yes so we've got three cold winter weather essentials starting with some leggings. everyone has a pair of leggings they really love we found a winter version of leggings these are fleece lined, so great when you're going outside for walks or, hey, you can wear it with that turtleneck i showed you guys either way, these are amazing. they have a high waist style that really sort of sucks you in it gives you a flattering fit. reviewers even say these are just as nice and high-end looking as the more expensive versions you probably see around. >> i have to get those for craig. >> you beat me to it i was going to say, i can see you in those especially the high-waisted ones. >> wear them around central parks. >> you boys are trouble. >> another thing you need is

some accessories we found these gloves, you guys. they're only $11.99. they're unisex al and craig, you'll want to get your hands on these. >> there you go. >> they're also really great they have little silicone triangles all over them. your phone isn't going to slip out. >> that's good. >> really amazing if you're clumsy like me they're made with wool, so super cozy once your hands are covered, you have to cover your head. everyone knows you need cozy hat hoda, you'll love this one it is a cable knit cozy hat which is a 2-in-1. it has a pom-pom, but it comes apart with a button. >> i like it. >> two looks in one. >> i like a large hat. do they come large sometimes they're too small for me. >> it's really plush. >> i've never seen that, the detachable pom-pom on top. >> it is cute. >> we've covered everything. adriana, except the footwear do you have any winter boots >> yes if you are due for an upgrade, which we all are, for a new pair of snow or rain boots for the

winter, whatever the elements are, we found a pair for $40 they come in a bunch of styles and color ways these are a hot item you'll want to get your hands on it asap. >> these are my wife's favorite segments she's at home taking notes thank you, adriana have a great weekend. thank you so much for that >> thank you, guys. >> find more on today.com/shop as a reminder, amazon has an affiliate relationship with "today." whenever you buy a product through our website, amazon pays "today" a small commission on the sale coming up next, the always enthusiastic and fun elizabeth heiskell, with treats for the big game which decides who goes to the super bowl. we love when she's with us businenesses todayay are lookio tomorrow. . adapting. . innova.

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we are back now. one of our favorite segments, "today loves football," getting you ready for championship sunday.

>> that's right. in the nfc, it is tom brady and the buccaneers against aaron rodgers' packers then the chiefs and bills are battling it out. >> account today" food contributor elizabeth heiskell joining us with recipes. what are you making for sunday help us out. >> honey, we have it all for tampa bay, we've got a blood orange guacamole we also have some incredible cheesy brats for our packers, hot tamale dip today. we also have barbecue tacos. i'm super excited about this guacamole. right now, avocados are as cheap as dirt right now. honestly seriously, they're so cheap. we're going to add a little of this blood orange. look at that color is that not -- >> i love it. >> it is phenomenal. that's just going to give it a little bit of a different flavor

sweeten it up a little bit we have lime we also have, of course, red onion. we are going to add a little bit of tomato. we're going to mix this all up that is fantastic guacamole. >> you don't do cilantro cilantro isn't on the list >> it's already on the tacos i was just going to put it in one spot, not both. >> elizabeth, if you've got hard avocados, how can you soften them up quick? >> now, you know exactly how to do this because i've taught you once you put them in the microwave for five minutes >> told you once, al >> i'm telling you, it makes all the difference in the world. >> all right. it you cannot imagine how easy s. now, we're on to our cheesy brat dogs that i'm so excited about now, this is what we call delta cheese shredded cheese. then we're going to add a little mayonnaise adding some parsley, green onions onion powder a little bit of milk

cayenne. garlic powder, onion powder, worcesrshire pepper >> worcestershire. >> we're going to mix this all up and then this is what we ar going to top the beer brats. >> yum. >> have you ever we're going to add our onions, then we're going to add a little bit of this fabulous cheese mixture to the top >> elizabeth -- >> run it under the broiler. look at that look at that. have you ever? >> why do you cook it in the beer what -- >> she told you that before. >> she did not i would have remembered that. >> i have never told you that. here's the deal, if i'm not drinking coffee or water, i'm drinking beer. >> we love you. >> if i can get beer in a recipe, i'm going to do it it adds flavor we sautee the onions in a little bit of butter. i'm going to poach them in the beer broth honey, it's fine on these two teams, i have to go

with green bay not even tom brady's good hair is going to save him. from freezing. >> that's what i'm talking about. >> his blood is too thin he's been down in florida too long that's exactly who is going to be going to the super bowl i'm telling you right now on that now, we're going to move to my hot tamale y'all, this couldn't be easier so we start in this pot. i have sauteed onions. i have some canned chili with no beans. telling you, i'm making it easy on you you add a little bit of -- actually, it's a can of tomatoes with chili we also have a pound of shredded cheese we're going to add some green onions to this now, this is the fun part. we have our tamales, and you don't want to break them up too much you can get any store bought tamales you like from a tamale stand. add those to it. you're going to put this over a medium-high flame on your stove.

stir it really, really well. we'll serve this with chips. >> boom. >> okay. girl, we love you so much. but i think we might have to leave you right here we're going to put the last one on the website don't you worry about it it'll be on there. >> who do you have in the other game >> barbecue tacos. on this game, it'll be the bills. i think they're going to take the super bowl >> oh! >> honey, we got to do it. we got to do it. >> one out of two ain't bad. >> y'all take care. >> we love you recipes on today.com/food. a quick note before we go on this friday, kate hudson i willie's sunday sit-down guest, talking about her new movie, directed by sia. >> interesting. >> directed by sia >> interesting. also, the breakout role 20 years ago in "almost famous. catch it on "sunday today" with willie geist. >> no interviews like those willie interviews. >> right. we'll be back with the third and fourth hours guess who we have at 10:00. >> who >> salt-n-pepa

yeah, we do. they got a new bio pic on lifetime we'll visit with them. >> steve kornacki is going to be at the big board, breaking down the four games on the 3rd hour. >> good chance he'll be wearing khakis. >> that's right. >> have a good weekend, everybody. bye-bye. ance he'll be wearing ks >> have a good day, everybody. good morning, 8:56i'm scott mcgrew. essential workers may soon lose their priority when it comes to california's vaccine rollout. state advisers are debating changing the policy to an age-based approach only. focused on 65 and older because they're the ones getting hit the hardest. that means people believing they're next in line, that would include teachers and grocery

store workers may be waiting for months. at the current rollout rate everyone 65 and older may not be vaccinated before may. right now the plan does not have full support of these advisers. >> happening now san francisco just opened its first mass vaccination center on the ccsf main campus. you do need reservations and they are full. the first of seven centers opening in the bay area next few weeks. cierra johnson is there, live report midday. wet weather returns to the bay area. meteorologist kari hall tracking conditions and the outlook for rain throughout the weekend, her forecast at midday. within last hour we learned of a huge loss in the world of baseball. hank aaron has died. hank broke babe ruth's record hitting a 715th home run. he was 86 years old. happening now is brought to you by phphoong law,w, when sosomething g goes wronong, cal

phoongng. parts of the bay area still stuck in an extreme drought. but kari is tracking major changes in her seven-day forecast. i'll be busy examining president biden's first full week on the job, monday mornings from 4:30 to 7:00. today on "california

live" -- >> amber turns cave woman in the cliffs of la hoiia. plus, salt-n-pepa's here with a brand new look at this pioneer of hip-hop. ♪♪ ♪ oh, this is how it starts ♪ ♪ ligightning strtrikes the h ♪ ♪ the d day has jusust begun ♪ ♪ brighteter than thehe sun ♪ ♪ o oh, we coululd be the s st♪ ♪ f falling frorom the sky y ♪ ♪ shinining how we e want ♪ ♪ bririghter thanan the sun ♪ oroweaeat bread. gatherering, bakiking and delelivering the goododness of nanature... from onene generatioion to t the next and from s seed to slilice.

live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaz this is the "3rd hour of today." >> good morning and welcome to the "3rd hour of today." the gang is all back together. >> all back. >> hi, everybody. >> hello. >> dragging me for one thing or another. >> as soon as i gave you brief before we started the show i saw your thumb, you have a band-aid. what happened? >> can you tell us? >> it is embarrassing and dumb. i'm a nail biter. right? i guess, somehow, my finger got infected. >> you bit it -- no! >> infected from biting your fingernail? >> i'm always kind of biting. i think it ended up becoming a thing. >>