and thank you for joining us as well. >> and the "today" show starts right now. have a good morning. good morning. order up. >> let me be clearest on this point. help is on the way. >> president biden pledges to boost the vaccine rollout. ordering 200 million more doses in a push to vaccinate most americans by late summer. as states from coast to ast struggle to keep up with demand. >> we're at the mercy of whatever is sent. >> this morning, where is the bottleneck, and what's causing it? announcement about reopening schools. falling in line. 45 republican senators rally to

block the impeachment trial of former president donald trump. >> it means that impeachment, the trial, is dead on arrival. >> what that means for democrats pushed to hold trump accountable, and the capitol police holding themselves to account for the first time, apologizing for that massive security failure. hard line. president biden confronts russia's vladimir putin in their first official call, clashing over election interference, cyber attacks targeting the u.s., and the poisoning and arrest of putin's chief political rival. inside their tense conversation, and what it could mean for the relationship between the white house and the kremlin. bracing for more. a new threat of severe weather from coast to coast this morning. evacuations ordered in california with heavy rain on the way. a new round of snow and ice taking aim from the midwest to the east coast. in alabama, a day of cleanup ahead after that devastating and

deadly tornado. >> our room is right there where the hunk of metal shard is sticking out. >> the harrowing stories of survivals, and al's forecast straight ahead. arrest and outrage. >> what were you thinking? did you only have three brain cells? >> a paramedic of the year in florida behind bars for his alleged role in stealing doses of the covid vaccine. just ahead, the search for more suspects, and who was supposed to receive the now ruined shots. all that, plus, stunner in paris. the mayor fined for putting too many women in top jobs across the city. why she says, "bring it on," today, wednesday, january 27th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everybody. welcome to "today."

it is a wednesday morning, and we are glad you got up early and started your day with us. >> we certainly are. and happening today, millions of americans are beginning this morning facing a new threat of winter weather, on the heels of that fast-moving, cross country storm that produced a lot of snow and ice and rain, and also that destructive tornado in alabama. we have al roker on duty. he is tracking it all just ahead. >> sure looks like winter. but we're going to begin this morning with the coronavirus. just over one year since the very first case was reported in the worldwide tally. it's now surpassed a staggering milestone, 100 million infections worldwide. >> here at home, the number of cases is improving. january, though, already the country's deadliest month yet in the pandemic, with nearly 80,000 deaths. that's in just 26 days. >> in the meantime, the biden administration is taking new steps to try to address the vaccine shortage and ramp up distribution in all 50 states. and the new white house covid

response team will hold its first public briefing later this morning. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer is leading us off. he's in los angeles. good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. as we start to bend the curve from the holiday surge, that uk variant is popping up in even more states causing frustration and concern of another spike. all amid a slow vaccine rollout and loosening restrictions. this morning, president biden ramping up vaccine supply to meet demand, promising 10 million doses a week to every state for the next 21 days, an increase of 16%. and securing a total of 200 million more doses from pfizer and moderna, expected to be delivered this summer. all part of an effort to crush the pandemic. >> the end goal is to beat covid-19. the way we do that is we get more people vaccinated. >> reporter: it comes as at ast leo, apparently more infectious, variants from the uk

and brazil have now been detected in the u.s., while health experts believe the current vaccines will hold up to the mutant strains. some warn it is too soon to ease up. >> you can't be complacent about that and say, well, we dodged a bullet there. well, you didn't really dodge it because more bullets are coming. and that means that the virus will likely continue to evolve. >> reporter: doctors now say with the new variant, even brief, maskless interactions with increase transmission risk by up to 70%. still, parts of the nation reopening, from outdoor dining in southern california -- >> we welcome you with open arms, and we're excited to have everybody back. >> reporter: -- to gyms in boston. >> members are ready to get back to their workouts. >> reporter: despite a drop in new cases and hospitalizations, the restriction rollback is causing concern. >> some people might interpret that as a sign that they can resume life as normal, and that

is absolutely not true. we still have an incredible battle with these new strains. >> reporter: still, for many, normalcy will never return. lacy brown lost her mother, ronda, to the virus last month. >> there is no end to it for us because this is always going to be a part of our lives. >> reporter: the raw pain of loss -- >> i sure love you. >> reporter: -- a reminder of what's still at stake. the cdc is also now weighing in on reopening schools, saying early evidence suggests masking and social distancing in the classroom will make in-person learning safe. they note this can only happen if local officials limit other gatherings, like in-person dining and reopening gyms to community. savannah? >> miguel, thank you. joining us now, dr. richard besser, former acting director of the cdc, and now president and ceo of the richard wood johnson foundation. dr. besser, good morning.

we see the biden administration ordered more doses. we have a supply problem. we have a distribution problem. what do you feel needs to be done, and is it happening? >> well, i think, savannah, a s couple things need to happen one is we have to up the conversation around what is going to turn the tide on this pandemic this winter it's not vaccine vaccine is the long game, but if we don't get people to double down on wearing masks and keeping apart and washing their hands and waiting their turn for when they should be getting vaccinated, we're going to be at real risk, especially as this uk variant starts to spread more around the country any lapses in those public health recommendations, in our following of those, is going to cost us in a really big way. >> let's talk about those variants it's said they're more contagious, potentially with the uk variant, potentially more deadly, as well. i mean, as a practical matter, if those strains become dominant

and they're more contagious, does that mean it takes less time to get infected, less time with an infected person will result in an infection for yourself >> i haven't seen data on time, but what it does say is that if we're sloppy, if we're not doing those things that we need to do, it will spread easier. as dr. fauci was saying, these are likely not the only variants or mutants that we're going to see. upping the ability of the cdc and local public health to track strains, to look for new mutants, to look for any signs that vaccines are not as effective, any signs that medications aren't working, that's part of the ongoing battle with the virus that we have to do. >> are you in the double masking camp do you think you should wear a double mask or try to get one of the n-95s if you can >> i'm not a double masker i am a big pusher for everyone to wear one mask and to please not wear it down on your chin.

if it doesn't cover your nose and your mouth, it's not going to be effective. i'm looking forward soon to the cdc issuing guidance around the masks that we purchase, rating them in the way they do for masks among health care workers. that'll give us a better sense as to which masks are the right way to go. >> you mentioned the cdct seemse cdc coming out yesterday sayin it seemed somewhat sudden, coming out yesterday and saying schools should reopen. the research suggests that schools are not a primary source of community transmission. what is behind the recommendation there, and what do you make of it? >> yeah, i mean, i wrote an op-ed on that back in december it's been clear that schools that have been given the resources, have been able to ensure that they can screen staff and children, that they can do social distancing, that they're ensuring people are wearing masks, that it is a safe place. for many children, it is a much safer place than being out and about in the community i know, as a pediatrician and as a parent, children need to be in school learning.

if we can make it safe for children, make it safe for staff and for teachers, we really need to do everything we can. like so many other countries have done to get kids in school learning it points to the real importance of not just counting how many people are being vaccinated, but are the right people being vaccinated front line essential workers, including teachers, so we can get our society up and running in as safe as possible especially those who have to get to work every day and can't work remotely like i can. >> thank you, dr. besser in our next hour, tom costello will look at the states having the toughest time with the vaccine rollout, and what is being done to correct the problems that's just ahead. meantime, we're following new developments in the impeachment of former president trump. the stage is set for a senate trial, but yesterday all but five republicans voted against moving forward that's a blow for democrats and a boost to the former president's hopes of avoiding

conviction we have two reports from washington we're going to start out at the capitol with kasie hunt. kasie, good morning. >> hoda, good morning to you the former president charged with incitement of insurrection for urging supporters to march to the capitol building before the deadly riot there on january 6th, and with the trial set to start in less than two weeks, a conviction is in doubt >> reporter: this morning, republicans seem on track to acquit former president trump of impeachment charges he incited the capitol insurrection just five republican senators breaking with their party and voting yes to move forward with trump's impeachment trial. >> impeaching a former president, a private citizen, is the antithesis of unity. >> reporter: emotion from unconstitutional.

>> 45 republican senators say that the unconstitutional what does that mean? it means that impeachment, the trial, is dead on arrival. >> reporter: tuesday's vote comes just weeks after the capitol was overrun by a violent mob that threatened lawmakers president. >> hang mike pence! hang mike pence! >> reporter: democrats insisting holding the former president accountable for it is legal. >> the theory that the senate cat trn'former officials would amount to a constitutional get out of jail free card for any president who commits an impeachable offense. >> reporter: the riots left five dead, including a u.s. capitol police officer. the acting head of the capitol police now apologizing, writing in a statement to congress, quote, the department should have been more prepared for this attack. the police were aware of threats and possible violence, but they were undermanned and, quote, did not do enough. >> just not going to let that happen. >> reporter: convicting trump of inciting the violence would require support from 17 republicans.

minority leader mitch mcconnell voting against continuing the proceedings. >> mr. mcconnell. >> no. >> reporter: even after signaling last week the former president bears at least some responsibility. >> the mob was fed lies. they were provoked by the president and other powerful people. >> reporter: there is still a possibility mcconnell will ultimately vote to convict, but trump's allies are warning of the consequences. >> i want to make sure the republican party can grow and come back. we're going to need trump, and trump needs us. >> this morning, senator pat leahy is resting at home after he was taken to the hospital late last night after feeling unwell. at 80 years old, he is the most senior democrat in the chamber, and he is presiding over the trial instead of the chief justice because donald trump is no longer the sitting president. savannah? >> kasie, as mentioned, the capitol hill police chief apologizing now, saying they were greatly outmanned, and also giving some more details about

those riots at the capitol. >> that's right, savannah. the acting police chief said that only 170 of the 1,200 officers who were working that day were properly equipped with riot gear and that was no match for what she called tens of thousands of insurrectionists. there's also some new reporting this morning about the alleged involvement of the proud boys. that's a far-right nationalist group. "the new york times" reports that federal law enforcement officials are trying to figure out if leaders of that group planned the assault in advance. there are at least six members of the proud boys who have been charged in connection with the attack. while the leader of the group was barred from coming to washington because of a separate alleged crime, he reportedly used social media to encourage members of the group to go incognito during the january 6th rally and riot. savannah? >> kasie, thank you very much.

now to some of the other big issues facing the president in his first 100 days. he's held his first talks with vladimir putin, pressing the russian leader on a range of issues during a tense phone call. correspondent kristen welker has that story this morning. good morning. >> hi, savannah. good morning to you. president biden's call with russian president vladimir putin should not be viewed as a reset with russia. that is according to an administration official. instead, i am told the president agreed to speak with president putin this soon after taking office because a key nuclear arms treaty expires next week. still, the call underscores the tensions between these two countries and what will be a critical test for biden on the world stage. >> reporter: in his first official phone call with vladimir putin since becoming president, joe biden taking a tough, new tone with the russian leader, delivering this stern warning. >> that the united states will act firmly in defense of our national interests, in response to malign actions by russia. >> reporter: president biden pressed putin on those malign

actions, which were often downplayed by former president trump. including russia's ongoing aggression against ukraine. the hack of u.s. government agencies, which intelligence officials suspsi hackers, altho russia denies it. reported russian bounties on u.s. soldiers in afghanistan, russian interference in the 2020 election, and the poisoning and arrest of opposition leader alexei navalny. the russian government describing the call as businesslike and frank, but making almost no mention of the many controversies raised by the u.s. all of it a stark contrast with former president trump, who was often criticized, including by some republicans, for being too soft on russia. >> putin did call me a g the republican party. >> reporter: even telling the world he believed putin's denial of 2016 election interference over his own intelligence officials. >> they think it's russia. i have president putin, he just said it's not russia. i will say this, i don't see any

reason why it would be. >> reporter: comments he later walked back under pressure. now, it is worth noting that the trump administration did impose sanctions against russia amid pressure from congress. as for today, president biden will announce a series of executive actions on climate change, including directing federal agencies to determine how large a ban on new oil and gas leasing on federal land is needed. also, setting up a task force on environmental justice and green jobs. so more executive actions today. savannah? >> kristen welker at the white house, thank you. severe weather also a big story today. let's turn to mr. roker and get a check of it. hey, al. >> especially out west, we're looking at a major system developing. 25 million people under winter weather advisories, storm watches, flash flood watches, as 25 million people under storm watches. flash flood watches as well. that's streaming into usual, significant flash flooding along with landslide. blizzard warnings in the sierra

nevada. northern california, mount shasta getting four inches per hour of snow. tomorrow, heavy rain shifts to the south. flooding and debris flows where there were burn scars. friday, the storm finally begins to weaken as it moves to the east, but the heaviest rain will move down south into florida. in fact, into southern california, i should say. 10 to 15 inches of rain in central california. some places, 20 inches of rain. whiteout conditions in the sierra mountains, talking about upwards of 7 to 10 feet of snow before this is all over. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds.

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a look at storm ranger and mobile doppler radar, still tracking showers. the widespread rain we had overnight has now moved to the south. we could see another round or possibility of thunderstorms today. we'll be watching out for that as this storm continues across the region. rebe take a break from the downpours on friday afternoon, but there will be more rain in the forecast from saturday into early next week. coming up, a story that will anger anybody who struggled to get the covid vaccine. a decorated paramedic of the year arrested just days after that honor in a scheme to steal doses. wait until you hear who they were meant for. if you're having problems booking a vaccine appointment, we do have an investigation you

need to see. tom costello reveals the glaring gaps in distribution why they vary so much from state to state, and what is being done to address those issues. oh, you think this is just a community center? no. it's way more than that.

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we're back craig joins us coming up, we have a story out of paris that has the world talking. >> yeah, that's right. why would the city's mayor face a massive fine for putting too many women in top jobs details on that, and how that mayor is fighting back, after your local news. ♪ this is the first day of my life♪ ♪ i was born right in the doorway♪ ♪ i don't know where i am, ♪ ♪ i don't know where i've been♪ ♪ but i know where i wanna go♪

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[engine revving] that's good! come on come on! [spooky laugh] now! ♪ [yelling] ♪ a very good morning to you. 7:26. i'm laura garcia. we're in this microclimate weather alert tracking the tail end of the first big bay area storm of the year. there are a lot of concerns about mudslides. >> hi, there, laura. daylight will give us a better look at how the burn scar areas weathered the storm. we know that there was a lot of concern that some could be -- could trigger mudslides, debris flow, and flooding as well. the rain was pretty strong and steady overnight in boulder creek and the surrounding

mountain communities. we have more than 2,000 people -- rather 5,000 people who left their homes in that danger zone, but more than 200 people refused to leave and decided to stay and wait it out. the charred and barren terrain is at high risk for landslides, mudslides, and flooding. we'll be watching for that as the sun comes up. let's check in with meteorologist kari hall. we're not out of the woods just yet. >> and a lot of people don't realize even after the rain has stopped we can still see the possibility of mudslides especially in burn scarred areas. we see some of the heavier rain taking a break, a scattering of downpours into the south county right now. we've also been tracking some of that rain moving through morin county right now that's been moving quite heavily as you move down 101. heavier rain south of us, we're going to see the possibility of thunderstorms and then the heavy rain shifting back to the north

later on this evening. 'll have a lot to watch for over the next couple of days. laura? >> all right. we'll certainly be here for you. another local news update is coming up in just a half hour. have a great morning.

back now, 7:30 that, by the way, a live look at the very first space walk of 2021 two nasa astronauts doing some maintenance, upgrades to the international space station. i think we should bring it back here on earth. today is a very special day. it happens to be the day that nancy guthrie, your mama, was born. >> yes happy birthday, mom! i want to wish her just the best day ever she's in tucson, arizona gosh, it's been a long time since i've gotten to hug my mom because of all that's been going on i want to give her a little -- >> she was such a regular around

here. >> happy birthday, mrs. guthrie. >> been here many times. she was like the 12th member of the cast for a while can't wait to get her back happy birthday, mom. 7:30 headlines the biden administration has officially rescinded the zero tolerance policy for migrants crossing the u.s./mexico border illegally. the trump era policy led to the separation of over 3,000 migrant families it directed u.s. attorneys to prosecute anybody who crosses the border illegally the practice was stopped in 2018 when a federal judge ordered parents and their children to be reunited until now, it'd not been hours-long standoff turned deadly overnight at a doctor's office in austin, texas. the s.w.a.t. team was called to the scene tuesday night after someone barricaded themselves inside after more than six hours, a robot went in, spotted the victim, and that's when police decided to go in the building. >> unfortunately, they found two subjects, one that was from originally inside the building,

one that was not, both deceased. >> police have not identified either of the individuals involved an investigation is now under way. for the first time in more than 60 years, no new players will be inducted into the national baseball hall of fame this year. no one on this year's ballot reached the 75% threshold needed for enshrinement six-time all-sta curt schilling was the top vote getter with 71%. however, there still will be a ceremony in cooperstown this summer the class of 2020, led by yankees great derek jeter, will be recognized because their celebration had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic good for jeter. >> yeah. now to a stunning story out of florida that will not sit well for anyone who has had a difficult time booking a covid vaccination appointment. >> yeah, this is kind of shocking a man recently honored as the local paramedic of the year is

now under arrest in connection to the theft of vaccine doses meant for other first responders it is believed he didn't act alone. >> kerry sanders has more. hey, kerry, good morning >> good morning. this morning, deputies are urging the suspected leader of this scam to turn himself in investigators believe the plot was orchestrated by insiders who thought a simple slight of hand would net them some vaccine. what they didn't realize is the mountains of paperwork that go along with the millions of vaccines that have been delivered in this country would be so closely examined >> reporter: this morning, a florida paramedic is under arrest, accused of conspiring to steal coronavirus vaccines >> what were you thinking? did you only have three brain cells? >> reporter: according to authorities, 31-year-old joshua colon, a former paramedic of the year, confessed, telling them he was pressured by the fire captain to help steal three doses of the moderna vaccine for

the captain's mother >> joshua tried to cover for the captain. joshua set up the circumstance for the vaccines to have been s stolen had joshua simply gone to his boss right then, he'd have been the hero but instead, he started falsifying paperwork. >> reporter: the scheme falling apart when the forged medical forms were reviewed. now, authorities say they are looking to arrest captain damiano, who was recently in california with the covid task force, and is currently at large. >> you can run but you can't hide the deal is over you're going to jail captain damiano, for being a crook for stealing. >> reporter: colon's attorney in a statement said the paramedic feared if he didn't follow orders, he'd face retribution. >> something of this magnitude

inappropriate allocation, falsifying documents, getting others involved in it. we're deeply disappointed in that. >> reporter: as anxious americans scramble to get vaccinated, they may be vulnerable to fraud. in texas, authorities are warning people to be on the a man there under arrest after authorities say he charged desperate residents hundreds of dollars for phony covid vaccines >> hard to believe there's so many scammers out there right now. kerry, what should people look for so they can avoid this kind of thing >> well, this information comes from the fbi they're telling people to beware of scams first of all, if you see you've been offered an opportunity to get a vaccine and there is payment, back off. there should be no payment medical procedures to go along with the vaccine, trying to link the if you're seeing information on social media or you get a phone call or somebody you don't know

is offering you the vaccine, it may very well not be the vaccine at all the fbi warning people to pay close attention. finally, messages that are saying the vaccine is required, make sure you understand all the details so that it is not like you must meet this requirement, we can give it to you right now. bottom line is, because of the scarcity of the vaccine and the anxiety, there are scammers playing on emotions. guys, back to you. >> a lot of desperation out there. kerry, thank you >> so sad. >> shame on anybody, scamming someone over a covid vaccine right now. >> yeah. >> despicable and unfortunate. just ahead, on our "vaccinating america" series, actually, we're going to dig into this problem. why are some states struggling to help people even book appointments one has already delivered shots to every one of its long-term care facilities. what's going on with this disparity? >> tom costello is going to tell us he'll go in search of the answers, and he'll do it right after this

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we are back. 7:40 with our ongoing series "vaccinating america." a massive undertaken riddled with all sorts of problems. >> across the country, health and elected officials described shortages and supplies, and even after those precious doses are delivered, we've seen issues getting the shots in the arms. >> there are a lot of problems. nbc's tom costello joins us with a closer look at where the bottlenecks are and what a new approach from the biden administration could mean. tom, good morning to you. >> good morning. i have to tell you, i've spent days asking people this question, where is the bottleneck, and everybody has a different answer. i can tell you, 6% of the population right now has

received at least one dose. the states with the highest vaccination rates right now, we have nevada -- sorry. start again. we have west virginia, connecticut. we also have new mexico, alaska, and the dakotas. states with the lowest vaccination rates, we have alabama, missouri, kansas, wisconsin, nevada, and idaho. part of the problem is, we have 50 different states, and they have 50 different approaches. >> reporter: facing nationwide calls to fix a rollout that has been anything but smooth, president biden one week into office is making covid vaccine distribution a top priority. announcing an increase of deliveries starting next week to at least 10 million doses. >> we will both increase the supply in the short term by more than 15% and give our states and local partners more certainly about when deliveries will arrive. >> reporter: the president says the country will also buy an extra 100 million pfizer doses and 100 million moderna doses by the end of the summer or early fall. in total, 600 million doses,

enough to vaccinate 300 million americans with two shots each. >> it is going to take six months to do this. now, recalibrate the public expectation and slow down all this confusion and anxiety that we feel among the american people. >> reporter: the new effort comes as governors and health officials have criticized the vaccine distribution process. >> one of the big constraints we're all working under is the lack of supply. that's frustrating. it's a big concern for all of us. >> i think one thing that has been a challenge across the board, previously, was the lack of a national strategy. >> reporter: but every jurisdiction is different. some getting shots into arms much quicker than others. that contrast on full display with neighboring states, maryland and west virginia. both run by >> maryland is only allocated roughly 10,000 doses per day for the 2 million people.

>> first in the nation to get all the nursing homes vaccinated >> reporter: so how does the system work? the federal government distributes doses to states and territories based on population proportions. this week, roughly 8.6 million doses. starting next week, the president says that should increase to at least 10 million doses. once they arrive, it is up to states to distribute them to vaccination sites. west virginia's governor jim justice tells me part of the success may be using the national guard to help with the last piece >> we've got great people in all our health departments, and we have great people in our national guard we just aren't shooting from the hip here i mean, for crying out loud, these people need a system. mass vaccination sites. >> i'm at a loss for words i'm struggling with it >> reporter: maryanne king lives on the other side of the potomac

river in northern virginia she and her parents all came down with covid-19 last fall now, king, who has a medical condition that's required three brain surgeries over the years,r condition and eligibility, she's been unable to get a vaccine because of supply issues have a you're on this waiting list and you have a pretty significant health challenge yourself. >> i don't know what to do i am afraid of getting covid again. i mean, even though i've had it, it was rough for me. >> reporter: while getting the vaccine out quicker is critical, experts say a vaccinion at strategy must also address access disparities in some communities, with concern among many about getting the vaccine at all >> we also have to make sure people have the right information so they can make the right choice to get these states effective vaccines when one becomes available to them. >> reporter: in addition to the moderna and pfizer vaccine, both out already, johnson & johnson expected to seek emergency fda

authorization next week. the beauty of the j&j vaccine, if approved, it's a single shot, doesn't require you to come back for a booster shot savannah >> that will be good news when that happens there's vaccines but also treatments if you have a really good treatment, that can also make a huge difference. yobody drug therapy, it also is apparently quite successful in preventing symptomatic infection. so now, regeneron is suggesting maybe we should seek fda authorization as a temporary vaccine, as a stopgap measure. it's not going to provid long-term protection, but it could provide short-term protection at nursing homes, it's seems to be quite successful. >> makes sense i think it's one of those you do everything you can moments tom, thank you so much. >> if the national guard approach is working in west virginia, you have to wonder why other states don't look at it. >> they should.

>> seems like a smart idea. all right. it is 7:46 mr. roker, a check of the weather? >> that's right. also, later today, president biden will be signing some executive actions around climate. one of them is going to elevate climate change as a national security priority. one of the reasons, well, if you look at some of our top military sites across the country, the greatest warming, these sites are most at risk for climate change in fact, the 2017 department of defense study showed that climate change is the number one threat for homeland security we have an interview with gina mccarthy coming up at 9:00. she's the white house climate security adviser so we'll take a look at that another round of rain and snow today. today, system moves off the coast. advisories from kansas to the carolinas. snow showers in the great lakes tomorrow in fact, we'll be looking at an arctic blast coming in here tomorrow morning wind chills of zero in buffalo, 14 in roanoke, 2 in marquette, minus 6 in caribou, minus 3 in boston

look at saturday morning again, plattsburgh, feeling like minus 12 try. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we've seep the heavy rain rolling through during the overnight hours. as we watch the center of the storm move a little closer, we'll have the possibility of heavy thunderstorms. and the heavy rain moving across the central coast will start moving back north into the bay area once again. so we'll have another round of heavy rain later on today. the rain continues on tomorrow and tapers off early friday morning. we'll have a brief break before more rain comes in later this weekend. >> that is your latest weather guys >> mr. roker, thank you, sir. just ahead, a potential upside of the pandemic less flu what's driving cases to a historic low, and what it could mean for cold and flu seasons to first, these messages.

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show more of you. a good morningo t you. 7:56. i'm laura garcia. happening now, we're in this microclimate weather alert. thousands are evacuated over mudslide concerns. kris? >> reporter: hi, there, laura. crews will get a better look at how the burn area in the san tra cruz mountains weathered the storm. we know there was a lot of concern for folks who lived in those areas. the rain and the wind, they were strong and steady overnight in boulder creek and the surrounding communities. more than 200 people refused to leave their homes, though, when they were asked to evacuate by local law enforcement. about 5,000 of their neighbors

did leave that burn area because the charred and barren terrain is at high risk of land slides, debris flow, and flooding because of that heavy rain. any time we get a lot of rain in a short amount of time, that is a concern for burn areas. meteorologist kari hall tells us when we'll be out of the woods. >> well, we're still seeing some rain nearby, but we're seeing a break right now after getting 4 to 5 inches of rain in the santa cruz mountains. we're seeing scattered rain right now. we're able to track it with radar. heavier rain is shifting to the south. we'll see these often on showers and possibly thunderstorms as we go into today an then another round of heavier rain moving in late tonight. so the rain continues for the next at least 24 hours, possibly tapering off not until early friday morning. friday afternoon looks like it clears out, but we'll see more rain coming in saturday and for

the rest of the weekend and continuing into next week. laura? >> we certainly need it. thanks so much, kari. thanks for joining us as well. another update in a half hour. today on california live, it's all about mind, body, and soul. >> then frank stallone opens up about his very personal project this morning at 11:30 on nbc bay area.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, vaccine rollout. the new plans to ramp up distribution nationwide. president biden pledging to buy 200 million more doses. >> the end goal is to beat covid-19, and the way we do that is to get more people vaccinated. >> plus, we'll take a closer look at the coronavirus tests you can take right at home. >> if i wanted to visit my family, is this the type of test i should be taking before i go? >> how does it work? we'll show you in a live report. then battle of the sexes. the mayor of paris pushing back after being fined for hiring too

many women to top jobs. >> women are completely fighting for their equality in france. >> this morning, why she won't have to pay, and the changes taking place to pave the way for future generations. and they're back. after taking a break, chip and joanna gaines return with a revamped version of their hit show, "fixer upper." >> all right, baby girl. we're back at it. >> back at work. >> we have your first look today, wednesday, january 27th, 2021. ♪ oh, my, my, my ♪ >> hello from our neck of the woods. >> the drivers. >> from tennessee. >> we're celebrating jerry's birthday. >> my mom raised me on the "today" show. today is her 60th birthday. what better way to celebrate? love you. have a great day. ♪ oh, my, my, my ♪ e're from california. >> celebrating a 13th birthday on "today." >> morning, everybody. happy birthday. happy everything. happy wednesday.

we're glad to have you with us. >> halfway to the weekend. >> a lot of people sharing a birthday with your mama this morning, too. >> yes. >> by the way, if you are just . you can catch up by setting the dvr for 7:00 a.m. again, you missed a whole heck of a lot when you sleep in, but there's a way that you can watch. dvr. dvr. >> exactly. >> meanwhile, hoda, you have a really powerful story tomorrow you've been telling us about. >> yeah. i don't know if you remember, but it's been 35 years since the space shuttle "challenger" disaster. a lot of folks remember exactly where they were. well, we actually talked to three women who knew exactly where they were because they were in christa mcauliffe's classroom. they were her students. they grew up and became teachers themselves. we'll talk about what happened that day and how their lives were shaped. i literally had to look at the calendar and go, is that true? it was 1986. >> how wonderful they're carrying on their teacher's legacy. i look forward to that, hoda. thank you.

let's get you caught up on the news here at 8:00 and the latest on the coronavirus, as the u.s. sees its deadliest month yet. president biden is pledging to help more americans get vaccinated. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer joins us with the latest on those efforts. miguel, good morning. >> good morning. new infections and hospitalizations are dropping. even here in los angeles, the pandemic epicenter. but that uk variant is being detected in more states now, just as restrictions are being eased. the president says the u.s. is ramping up vaccine supply to meet demand. mr. biden is promising 10 million doses a week to every state for the next 22 days. that's about a 16% increase. the administration also says it's securing 200 million more doses, expected to be delivered by the summer. progress but not the end of the pandemic. >> the brutal truth is, it is going to take months before we get the majority of americans vaccinated. months. the next few months, masks, not vaccines, are the best defense

against covid-19. >> reporter: health officials are still worried about a multitude of variants of the virus, including strains from the uk, brazil, and south africa, that may be more contagious and perhaps even deadlier. it comes as restrictions are being eased in many major cities that were hard hit. this morning, the cdc is also saying there is early evidence schools can safely reopen if mask wearing and other social distancing measures are in place. savannah? >> miguel, thank you very much. this morning, a lot of folks in alabama are recovering from that deadly tornado that hit without warning earlier this week. meanwhile, we're still seeing problems from the winter storm that raced across the country. nbc's blayne alexander joins us now from fultondale, alabama, with a closer look at the damage the tornado left behind. good morning. >> craig, good morning to you. there's certainly a lot of cleanup left to be done. in fact, this is just getting under way here in fultondale, alabama. a lot of houses that look just like this one.

plenty of streets that are lined with broken trees and downed power lines. but down here in the south, while people are dealing with severe storms, elsewhere, it's heavy wind and rain that are causing major problems. >> reporter: this morning, the cleanup after a rare january tornado ripped an unforgiving path through fultondale, alabama. for nearly 3 miles, shredding neighborhoods and suburbs in the birmingham suburb, leaving some with just seconds to take cover. sue and steve gamla were staying at this hampton inn. >> i figured it was safer to be in a bathroom, and pray we're okay. >> reporter: more than a dozen people rushed to the hospital as crews combed the debris for more survivors. the storm claimed at least one life 14-year-old elliott hernandez at home with family >> the house had collapsed from the wind, rain, trees. >> reporter: others left to at found. >> start calling his name, "mike, mike. >> reporter: buried in a pile of rubble, miraculously, still

alive. >> he said all i remember was something put me up in the air, >> reporter: as nymaraved severe storms in the south, elsewhere it's winter weather sweeping much of the country dumping snow from las vegas to chicago, wisconsin to kansas that winter wallop barrelling down in the northeast. in connecticut, the snow did not slow covid vaccines. the state's largest drive-through vaccination site still buzzing. in california, the problem is rain, and a lot of it. some areas could see up to 15 inches over the next two days. that is prompting evacuation orders in two counties because of the threat of dangerous mudslides in areas burned by massive wildfires. back here in fultondale, the national weather s determined it was an ef-3 tornado that touched down causing all of this damage in some cases, craig, bringing wind gusts of up to 150 miles per hour back to you. >> my goodness blayne alexander in alabama, thank you.

overseas now the mayor of paris is no longer in trouble for hiring too many women. she faced a hefty fine, but she fought back and won. nbc's kelly cobiella has more on how the case drew attention to the issue affecting women everywhere kelly, good morning. >> hi, good morning, hoda. that's right the paris mayor called this fine irresponsible and absurd she said she'd proudly pay the price for hiring qualified women. this morning, she found out she wouldn't have to this morning, paris mayor ann hidalgo defiant. marching into france's ministry of public service, escorted by female officials she was preparing to pay nearly $110,000 for putting too many women in top jobs. then told the fine had gone away the fine caused an uproar, of

which i am very proud, the mayor said last month, the city penalized for having 11 women and just 5 men in top roles a violation of france's gender parody laws, created to help women break the glass ceiling. >> very surprising i don't think it's fair. >> i think women are completely fighting for their equality in france >> reporter: europe is way ahead of the u.s. in gender parody 67% of women in europe are employed, compared to 51.5% in the u.s. almost unchanged since 1990. while american women are making great strides in politics and business, in france, women, and especially women of color, still struggle to get top jobs in big companies and town halls have they ever fined anyone for hiring too many men? >> yes, all the time all the time all the time you just pay the fines quietly and go away. >> reporter: like the lesson here is, there's still a long way to go.

french women celebrated for their style, still fighting to have their say that gender parody law has since been repealed. this morning, the mayor of paris said she'd be donating the >> i hear a "you go girl" coming from all over the place. kelly, thank you that's the news. 8:09 let's get a boost. >> here we go. we've all been dealing with a lot lately of course, it's harder for families who have a loved one serving in the military. so this little girl's reaction to being reunited with her dad pretty much says it all. >> dad dad, i miss you, dad dad. i miss you, dad. >> i miss you more >> this is mom i miss you, dad. >> i miss you. >> and this is mom keeps looking at her dad, like she can't believe he's here. if you keep watching it, she

reintroduces him to her mother beautiful. >> nothing beats a daughter's hug. nothing beats a daughter's hug. up next, a potential solution to this country's covid testing dilemmas >> good morning. as the vaccine rolls out, experts say testing remains the key to bringing covid infections down take a look at this. these are all tests that are available now or will be soon for you to take right in your own home so which one should you choose, and why one doctor says we should all be testing ourselves twice a week, rather than locking down businesses, if we want to stop the spread of covid-19 i'm vicky nguyen that story is next (quiet piano music) ♪ ♪ comfort in the extreme. the lincoln family of luxury suvs.

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serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. tremfya®. emerge tremfyant™ janssen can help you explore cost support options. we are back. carson joins us with our series "search for solutions. even with the development of a vaccine, testing plays a key role in stopping the spread of covid-19 >> yeah. almost a year into this pandemic, it may be getting easier with those at-home kits coming to market how do you know which one is right for you, which ones are the best >> we sent nbc's investigative and consumer correspondent vicky nguyen to find out she joins us to break it down. what'd you find? >> good morning. it's hard to believe but wit this tiny piece of cardboard, you can quickly find out if you have covid-19. right now, we are mostly relying on tests after people get sick or they start showing symptoms

what if we could all test quickly and frequently to screen for the disease? some say that is the key to radically lowering the infection rate this morning, i'm showing you how it's possible.nes at a testing site. no visits to a clinic. get ready for convenient covid tests and results from home. consumers now have three at-home tests to choose from all have received the fda's emergency authorization. take your own sample, and results appear in minutes. let's try this test. >> swab your nose five times on each side. >> reporter: one, two, three, four, five >> stick it straight into the bottom hole, twist it three times. >> reporter: one, two, three there it goes, up the paper strip. i cannot believe this is a covid test. >> that's a covid test so simple, so easy to use. >> reporter: results are easy to read, and they show up in minutes. a single line means the test is negative two lines indicate a positive.

my test was negative this is definitely giving me pregnancy test flashback. >> that's right. >> reporter: dr. michael mina, an epidemiologist at harvard and brigham & women's hospital, studies rapid tests. he said widespread and frequent at-home testing is the best way to stop the spread of the virus. what does the u.s. need to do right now to bring infection rates down >> if millions of americans tested themselves at home twice a week, we'd start to see a dramatic reductions in cases within a month or two. >> reporter: that quickly? >> that quickly. >> reporter: dr. mina says tests should be cheap, fast, and reliable, so people can test at home, find out if they're sick, and stay home to stop the spread he says research from slovakia shows when people tested themselves two weekends in a row, the infection rate in the country decreased by 60% >> i want to see that the government actually supplies these tests, makes the contracts with the companies, and

ultimately gets the american public these tests for free. >> reporter: but that's not happening right now. the abbott test is available online but costs $150 for a pack of six you need a prescription, and it is only available if you're experiencing symptoms. same with the lucira test, which costs $50 for one test the ellume test is $30 for a single test, and it is over the counter. that's expected to become more common in the u.s. later this month. if i wanted to go visit my family, is this the test i should be taking before i go >> this will make that experience safer but i do not want people to use this as a reason to go and see their family, who they have been kind of distancing from. >> reporter: another option for consumers, at-home collection kits you spit into a vial, but you have to send the sample back to a lab. results take a few days to come back they're now available online from amazon and walmart. no prescription needed, but they're costly more than $100 each. where would you use a test like

this >> a test like this, it's really designed for somebody who has a high suspicion that they have covid. they're already isolating. they're going to stay inside anyway the time difference doesn't matter too much. >> reporter: dr. mina wants the government to rethink its approach to rapid testing, to use it as a screening tool people say these lockdowns are not working. we are seeing resurgence of the virus everywhere there's been a lockdown do you think testing is the answer >> it's not a silver bullet, but it is a massively powerful tool that we're not yet using >> dr. mina calls these at-home tests red light tests. that means if you get a positive, red light, don't go out, stop, isolate to find out where you can buy the tests, go to today.com much more on these tests, more tests are coming they'll be approved by the fda the fda is also expected to approve this one i also took this anova test at home nasal swab, one line, negative, two lines, positive. simple.

>> these at-home tests, do we know if they're as accurate as a test you get at the doctor's office or a testing site >> they're close they're not as accurate as the pcr test, the gold standard, but these are the at-home, rapid antigen tests. when we're taking them frequently and on a massive scale, it allows us to know when we're positive and then we don't go out research really shows that mor than half of the cases are spread by people who don't have symptoms or before they show symptoms if you know, you'll stay home. >> when you get the pc you're going out and about while you're waiting to find out if you have it. >> or you've already started feeling sick and staying home, but you've spread it already, unknowingly. >> that was great. >> thank you very much. let's shift gears and get the weather. hey, al. >> let's see what's going on out there. two big systems. we've got one coming off the southeast. another system -- let's make it three -- bringing snow to the midwest.

this third system, atmospheric river, bringing a lot of snow and rain to the pacific northwest, on into california. afternoon highs, 20s through the northeast, new england, great lakes. single digits into the plains. 50s and 60s through california then for today, we are looking at that heavy rain we've got a big problem out west it is going to be a big, big story for the next 48 hours. light snow making its way through the mid-mississippi and ohio river valleys a lot of wet weather down through the southeast. that's what's going on around the country. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. so the heavy rain that we had overnight now pushed through the south and we're still left with some lingering showers that will be off-and-on throughout today. we have a chance of a few thunderstorms. then we see the rain that stalled over the central coast moving back north into the bay area, bringing in additional henky rain starting late tonight. so we're going to see more rain in the forecast.

it will gradually taper on friday morning and friday afternoon is looking dry for now. >> that's your latest weather. best time of the day. >> "pop start. >> you say that during the smucker's things every morning i'm starting to feel it is disingenuous. >> i don't say that's the best part of day. that's my favorite part of the day. best part and favorite, different things. >> totally fair, uncle al. mediocre "pop start. chip and joanna gaines as promoted, this morning, the exclusive first look at their rebooted series. people are excited about "fixer upper, welcome home. turning outdated houses into beautiful homes, all while juggling a bigger family in this clip, we'll see chip and joanna working on their latest project. they leave it up to their youngest son, crew, to settle a disagreement. >> we brought the boss baby with us today >> do you like it? do you like it >> i like it >> i have a tiny little change order in the entryway. we were going to do the tongue in groove. >> you're not changing the tongue and groove, babe.

we have it going listen to me do you want mama to do a change order? >> mama, i -- >> he said, mom, let her do her thing. >> oh, right >> yeah. high-five. yeah >> i was hoping for him to say no change orders. >> crew said, mommy can do whatever the heck she wants. >> crew knows the secret to life, always side with mama. "fixer upper, welcome home" premiers friday on discovery plus as part of the magnolia network preview. when you thought dolly parton has done it all, she shows up on your apple watch there's a new feature in the apple watch feature app called "time to walk. it allows you to do, as dolly and some other celebs, they tell you stories from their lives one such story is from dolly, who talks about how her father helped keep her humble including the time a statue of dolly was being erected at the

courthouse >> daddy, did you know, there is a statue of me down at the courthouse daddy said, i heard about that he said, now, to your fans out there, you might be some sort of an idol. but to them pigeons, you ain't nothing but another outhouse. >> that's why we love dolly. might have sounded harsh dolly goes on to say that her dad would actually sneak out at night with a bucket of soap and water and clean her statue so dolly always looked her best >> that's a dad. next up, matthew mcconaughey and jennifer lopez are taking a trip down memory lane. the two of them getting together for the 20th anniversary of their hit romcom "the wedding planner. >> i love that >> mcconaughey saying it was one of the last big romantic comedies before they stopped getting made for a while lopez recalling what mcconaughey said to her right before their big on-screen kiss >> it still feels a little bit like it was yesterday. it was just yesterday we were in the middle of that field. >> yeah. >> with the movie theater. do you remember doing that scene?

>> yes. yes. >> where you were about to kiss me and i remember you said to me, i don't know if you remember this. you said, ms. lopez, i'm going to kiss you now. i was like, okay let's do it. >> let's do that >> let's get it. >> ladies. >> hey, now. >> that's hot. >> is that his line? >> that's hot. >> oh, gosh. >> it works for us >> that's right. >> oh, my gosh >> all good right there. >> i see mike feldman using that >> yeah, that's good finally, paul mccartney could arguably be one of the most recognizable musicians in the world, having been in the little band called the beatles but now one tiktok user is going viral because she didn't recognize him until it was too late that is may archie, going through photos, when she realized the guy walking through her picture was none other than sir paul she said she thought maybe h looked familiar at the time, but it didn't hit her until now. it is funnier that that photo, if you can see him on the left,

he's walking at a crosswalk. >> like "abbey road. >> not lost on the fans. there you go >> wow, that was an excellent "pop start." >> very strong. >> thank you >> ms. guthrie, i'm going to kiss you now dramatic. >> great "pop start. >> thank you we try love is in the air, is it not? >> yeah. >> wait until jill martin gets at it. she's going to get us all ready for valentine's day. a special edition of "steals and deals. husbands, if you're like, but she doesn't really -- she does the "steals & deals" are coming up after your local news

good morning, kari. >> good morning. some of the heavier rain moved through during the overnight hours. now we're allowing for a lot of the rain to soak into the ground but still left with shattered showers that will continue through today.

heavy rain that pushed to the south is starting to move back up north as we go into later tonight. we'll see another round of heavy rain. we are expecting it to be until tomorrow. we could see a chance of thunderstorms along with gusty winds along with snow up to 2,000 feet, although we've seen it as slow as 1,300 feet. isolated flood issues especially in the burn scar areas. and as we go through the forecast, the rain looks to taper off friday but we will see rain in the forecast into the weekend as well as early next week. a lot to monitor over the next several days. >> and i'll have another local news update in about a half hour. thank you.

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8:30 on this wednesday morning, the 27th of january, 2021 happy hump day coming up, as you know, guys, flu season, of course, is upon us something missing this year, though a lot of flu cases one of the upsides of the pandemic. >> that's right. this morning, we're asking dr. torres the question a lot of people are asking, why do we have the pandemic precautions to thank find out what we can learn for the next flu season. somebody wakes up at 8:30. i can hear the alarm. >> not mine.

martin has you covered with a special "steals & deals. she has chocolate, jewelry, and, of course, a lot more. some unexpected gifts that will bright your somebody special's day. and then bobby flay, he is going to take us to italy. he has a new discovery plus show. >> i want that for valentine's day. >> he's going to tell us all about the dream trip bobby also has a simple recipe we're talking about homemade pasta. he said it is not as tough as you might think. >> nice. >> leave that right there. coming up on the "3rd hour of today," more of the "start today" series. stephanie ruhle with four steps you should take right now. >> looking ahead to tomorrow, of course, everybody has different needs in that department there's advice that will work for any and all of them. i really wanted them to come over this pandemic is really keeping us apart i don't like it. let's get a check of the

weather. >> we're going to look ahead to your weekend never too early to do that we are going to start out with friday bitter cold in the northeast around the great lakes mild in the rockies. heavy rain continuing in california and the mountains out west we've got more of that again for saturday heavy rain through the mid-mississippi river valley wind-driven snow in the upper river valley snow in the mid-atlantic, northeast, heavy rain in the south. another pacific storm comes on shore. dry and mild through the southwest and into parts of california and florida that's what's goin good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. still some spotty rain left behind after some overnight heavy rain and high winds. now that the winds are calming down, we're just watching out for scattered showers that will linger and heavier rain will start to move back into the bay area later on tonight and continue off and on throughout the day tomorrow. our forecast keeps it soggy,

especially with all of the rain that we'll be in and around the bay area. a brief break on friday but we will see more rain coming back in late on saturday. est weather. savannah >> al, thank you so much ahead, anybody else feel like we skipped right over flu season >> dr. john torres is going to be here to explain what is driving that silver lining of the pandemic

welcome back in a normal year, we'd be talking about the growing number of flu cases around the country. >> that's right. take a look at the map from the cdc. this is what the country looked like week two 2020, as you see a lot of red there that's influenza we'll see what it looks like now. i think numbers are a little better. >> wow. >> look at that. >> crazy. >> week two for this year. you see all the green there, that's because officials say flu activity is unusually low right now. this morning, we're asking the

question why >> let's bring in our chief medical correspondent dr. john torres good morning >> good morning. u exain ispl is it because we're finally not so germy, waing shr hands, wearing masks, and being more careful? >> savannah, i never thought in my career i'd see a flu season this low, where i'm talking to friends across the country, and they're saying the same thing, "we're not seeing the flu. it's because of the things we're doing for the pandemic washing our hands, the social distancing, wearing masks, staying home those are important steps that public health officials for years have been saying we need to do to keep the flu under control. we're doing it this year to keep coronavirus under control. it is helping with the flu of course, the shot. record number of shots were manufactured this year almost 200 million people got their flu vaccine. which in a given year we wis we could get that many people to get it going forward, hopefully we do these practices year after year. >> a lot of kids are not in school because of the pandemic we have a question, actually, from wendy in montana about that and virtual learning

take a listen. >> keeping our kids home from school, does it help to keep the numbers down >> seems like kids not being in school means fewer germs, i guess. >> it helps keep the number down because we know in a given flu season kids are a high drive of the number of flu cases we get, and they spread them from school to homes. all of us are at home right now, so we're not going out and meeting other people, spreading flu like we normally do. if you think about it, the subways, buses, even offices, nobody is really around you don't have the ability to spread it, which is why it's happening this year. of course, doing these measures we do go a long way toward keeping that and coronavirus under control, hoda. >> dr. torres, this next question is about what this could portend for next year. this is a question from facebook >> with the record low number of people who got the flu this year, does that mean the flu will be stronger next season >> dr. john?

>> these are great questions flu is very quirky flu does what it'll do year to year we have no way to predict what is going to happen next year it could be a very strong year it could be a year similar to this year. that's why we always tell people, in the fall to get your flu shot the thing you have to remember, too, is we're not through the flu season yet it is possible we could start seeing more cases. if you haven't gotten your flu shot you need to get it now because, again, it could still be cropping up over the next couple months. >> dr. torres, it's carson big fan of yours on "nightly news with lester holt: kids edition. you do great work. the covid vaccine may coincide when we usually get the flu vaccine. how do they relate to each other? >> they're two different vaccines, carson, and you want make sure you get the covid vaccine, obviously, to protect you from covid, but it doesn't protect you from the flu, and vice ver make sure you do that. also realize that getting one doesn't protect you from the

other one. however, it'll keep you healthy. if you happen to get the flu or covid, and you've had both vaccines, you can go ahead and make sure you're not getting the other one. an important step to keep you healthy. >> dr. john, my doctor told me to wait two weeks. i'm getting the second dose february 9th, then i have to wait two weeks after that to get the flu shot when people -- we got the coronavirus. we got flu season. you have a stuffy nose, may be sneezing how do you tell the difference between the two? >> al, not to brag, i'm getting my second shot february 8th, the day before you >> oh, yeah. oh, very good. aren't you special >> but the main thing is, you know, the two have similar symptoms you get the stuffy nose, the body aches, shortness of breath. big difference is, it comes on very fast for the flu. coronavirus, it doesn't come on quite as fast. and with coronavirus, there's the one distinctive symptom, the loss of sense of smell or taste, that dferentiates the two. if you start getting them, think

about getting a test if you get a covid test and it's negative, but you're having symptoms, ask about getting the flu test, as well, just to make sure you don't have that it could be either one >> all right dr. john, thanks so much. >> not to brag, but the rest of us are too young for the shots >> hey >> just saying >> ouch. >> there you go. >> that's going to leave a mark. >> yeah. >> dr. john -- >> you win that one. >> -- thank you for the great information there. we appreciate it thank you. coming up next, guys, heart pajamas, indulgent treats. how about personalized jewelry >> for me? >> it can only mean one thing. valentine's day is almost here that is an excited jill martin she is ready with a heart-filled edition of "steals & deals." everything you nee everything you nee >> qr cod.de

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edition of "steals & deals" to get you ready for valentine's day.

>> "today" commerce contributor and lifestylist julie martin. >> see the qr code at the bottom of the screen? scan it with your smartphone camera for instant shopping. jill, good morning, sunshine >> hi, guys. good morning well, we can all use a little love right now and a little treat for your significant other or your bestie, or maybe a gift for yourself to be your own best friend important. i have five valentine's day pick-me-ups. let's start with this first one, which is great to start the day with the valentine's chocolate bundles. retail, $49 to $53 three, different amazing chocolate bundles to choose from hot chocolate and bar. tea bundle chocolate tasting kit. all three bundles come up with a mug and chocolate bars the award-winning oo-la-la and the berry bar. the retail is $49 to $53 the deal is $24. up to 55% off. >> sweet.

>> all right next up, the hydra bloom beauty body and bath bundles. retail is $69. each bundle comes with a soothing bath and body oil, plus a roll-on oil. you choose from two options. it's called the lavender chillax, which is chilling and relax, obviously these could be directly applied to the skin, or put in a few drops in the bath for ultimate relaxation these best selling bundles come in beautiful packaging perfect for gifting. you have the rose or the lavender you have to pick retail, $69. the deal, $25. that's 64% off all right. this is super fun. what do you think this is, guys? >> a popsicle. >> popsicle. >> scented candle. >> loofah. >> okay. all wrong. bath bakery collection the retail, $46. now, this bakery-inspired bundle includes everything your loved one needs to have a relaxingent collections. >> donuts. >> each sweet set includes four

products non-edible they're bath bombs >> keep them from your kids. >> vanilla cake, donuts, cupcakes all natural ingredients. >> my kids would eat that. >> i know. you have to say, this is going in the bath, and this is not edible shea butter, coconut butter, essential oils almost like if some of us cooked it, it'd be inedible, as well. the retail $46 the deal, $23. that is 50% off. savannah and hoda, i know you'll love this. i have the kids initials out here the initial necklace, retail, $210 the necklace is a polished pendant with your choice of initial etched on it it comes in two styles, silver or gold plated or sterling silver great gift idea. you can get the initial of the name of your sweetheart, child, your mama. it is your mama's birthday today, so it is perfect. retail, $210 the deal, $39. that is 81% off. and this is super yummy and

delicious. i know we did a story yesterda on how you were all wearing loungewear a lot of us are wearing sleepwear all day. the print set, retail, $98 this pajama set includes a t-shirt and pants. it's made with super lightweight, buttery fabric. pajamas come in two different styles come in multiple colors. check out today.com for all the options. the heart print is a best seller for the brand. super yummy material retail, $98. the deal, $34. 65% off. let's go through the products one more time. the valentine's chocolate bundles. the hydra blooms beauty bath and body bundles the bath bakery collection the lena wald initial necklace the poppie sleep set just a reminder. "today" works with affiliate partners and may earn a commission on purchases made through our links at today.com that wraps up our valentine's day edition of "steals & deals." sending love, hugs, and kisses back to the studios.

not to brag, dr. torres, but i, too, am too young. >> oh, wow i thought you were getting it february 7th. >> reach back to the last segment. >> thank you, jill. >> carson, what is a bath bomb >> i think it explodes in the bath. >> you throw it in >> kids love it. >> fizzes. >> only reason i know that, the hot chocolate bombs are popular, and my kids had one. which is the same thing. put it in hot water, and it melts. there's stuff inside. >> i threw in krispy kremes, and nothing happened. >> those looked really real. here is the qr code. be sure to scan it or do it the old fashioned way and head to the website. that is today.com/deals. jill, thank you. >> thank you, jilly. >> send us the chocolate. >> from jill martin to bobby flay up next, bobby flay is going to show us how to make fresh pasta. here's the thing, he says it is a whole lot easier than you probably think it is

we are back. 8:49 now with "today food.

this morning, we are joined by our good friend, there he is, bobby flay >> hey, bobby. >> bobby. >> before the pandemic -- >> what's up >> -- bobby embarked on the trip of a lifetime, going to italy with his pal, giada. they took in the local history and cuisine italy has to offer must have been amazing. >> wow you can follow along on their adventures in their show called "bobby and giada in italy. find discovery plus. bobby, good morning. looks like you had a great time. >> it was a tough assignment i volunteered. it was fantastic we've been great friends for such a long time she was born in rome i'm a total -- just obsessed with italy in general it was just such a great trip. >> did she say "spaghetti" all the time >> i know. it's hard to keep up with her. i think her favorite pastime now is correcting when i try to actually speak italian words i got corrected constantly. >> y'all have known each other a long, long time, bobby

what'd you learn about her on this trip that you didn't already know >> i learned that giada's a lot more relaxed in italy. she's smiling from ear to ear. she's got family there her mom, veronica, one of my favorite people in the world, was there. she has this, you know, different kind of feel about her. it's like -- and i feel the same way. when you're over in a place like that, it is really easier to relax. you know you can't really go to work it's a nice feeling. also, we had gelato three times a day. nothing wrong with that. >> we can't have you on without you cooking something for us what are you going to whip up for us this morning? what's going on in the kitchen >> we went to rome and tuscany, and we went out to dinner and lunch. got dressed up and went out. did the town sort to speak in rome we got to tuscany, got our aprons on, and we cooked

one of the classic dishes in tuscany is a wild boar ragu, like a meat sauce and pasta. i'll show you what i'm doing here that you can do at home it is ground pork, ground beef, aromatic vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots. then i'm going to add some tomatoes, some mushrooms, which you'll find a lot in tuscany it'll give it a great earthy flavor a little bit of some beef broth. you let this cook for like 90 minutes or so it can go longer if you want of course you have to add some red wine in there to make it nice and heady let that cook for about 90 minutes. it is a great sunday night dish. over here, i have some fresh pasta that i made. clearly, you can make your own, or, of course, you can buy some. don't forget, if you haven't made fresh pasta before, give it a whirl. it's a couple ingredients. eggs and some flour. the more you do it, the better you get at it. it's really satisfying it's one of my favorite things to do, which is to make some pasta.

so we're going to put the fresh pasta in there now, the fresh pasta is going to cook quickly. just salted boiling water. >> do you need a special machine to make the homemade pasta do you need the special machine that you roll things with? >> you can cut it by hand. but i think that you probabl want to have a hand crank machine. it is something that, you know, will last for a really long time you'll get tons of great pasta dishes out of it savannah, have you made fresh pasta before >> no. >> negatron. no negatory >> have you boiled water >> yeah, okay. >> pasta goes into the sauce pasta goes into the sauce. then we just finish it up with a little parmesan cheese >> killing me. >> a little bit of butter. >> yes. >> a little bit. >> look at that. look at that. >> is there any wine in that, bobby? >> what's that >> any wine in that? >> oh, yeah. we have some red wine in the sauce, for sure. gives it a kind of good, heady flavor

you want to make sure that you toss the pasta with the sauce. right to our bowl. >> hi, cutie. >> goes right in >> wow >> hey, bobby, what was the best -- what was the one best thing you ate while you were in italy, like the one thing you remember >> great question. it's a dish that is representative of the wild boor. the wild boar ragu tuscany, and unfortunately, ends they're running all over tuscany, and unfortunately, ends up in a lot of pasta dishes. that's the most classic dish that you can eat in tuscany. some fresh pasta, a great bottle of wine, and it's game time. >> do you eat any fish, steak, or chicken, or is it all pasta there? >> no, no, no. well, i mean, obviously, in rome, it's everything. i think tuscany, for the most part, incredible vegetables, lots of delicious meats, sort of

grilled outside, open wood i mean, that's really key. if you watch the show, you'll see we did tons of cooking in fact, it's inspired me to open a restaurant in las vegas an italian restaurant in las vegas in may i'm all in on the italian thing. giada got it right >> bobby, did you learn -- you are, obviously, an accomplished chef did you learn anything in italy during your eat portion of "eat, pray, love"? >> you know what, actually, a couple years ago, savannah, i went to rome for six weeks by myself and kind of lived there as much as i could as a local. went to school every day words. you'll see it in the show that giada corrects me every two seconds. but it doesn't matter. it's fun i love the lifestyle there in terms of cooking, i learned so much. >> wow. >> just the way they enhance, the way they embrace life in general, and also, embrace the food

it's a healthier lifestyle it's all wrapped together with extra virgin olive oil. >> take a bite of that for me. >> grazie, bobby >> all right you can catch bobby in italy. >> so good. >> gosh, i would have loved to try that discovery plus. >> remember when they used to cook here? >> one day. one day we'll eat again. >> we can take the whole show to italy. >> yes >> let's do it. >> today.com/food for the recipe the show, again, on discovery plus. up next, "3rd hour of today," and then "hoda and jenna. >> big show. join us.

an 89-year-old woman living inside thankfully was not injured. one viewer shot this video of a tree onto a power line. last night at the peak of the storm, more than 35,000 pg&e customers lost power across the bay area. the situation has improved a lot since the overnight hours. happening now, we have teams across the bay area. we'll have live team coverage in our midday newscast, and when the next round of rain is on the way. kari hall is tracking that timeline.

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live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> welcome to the "3rd hour of today" on this wednesday, january 27th. good morning to you. craig here, al there, sheinelle there, and dylan there. >> hi, everybody. >> all in our places. >> all is well. >> reporting for duty. we've got a lot of ground to cover on this hump day, including a first look at president biden's plan to tackle climate change. this one is near and dear to your heart. >> absolute. in fact, we're going to be talking with the new white house national climate adviser, gina mccarthy. she's going to tell us what the

president is going t