through over the weekend. and shopping for the season. it's been a strange start to nter so far... so who's doing well... and who's struggling. i'm jerry gallagher. let's check on our weather now with storm track 7 meteorologist eileen loan. good morning. winter storm warning covers the entire kwwl viewing area today and tonight. sleet and freezing rain are tracking into the area from the south, with some snow possible in the norther fringes. road are becoming ice covered as this tracks northward. iowa dot cameras will begin to show icy, sleet-covered and snowy conditions as the morning wears on from the south to the north. temperatres are in the mid 20s to low 30s and the winds are already strong... northeast at 15 to 30 mph and gusting higher... and they will get even stronger today through the evening. the wintery weather

nnth with many reas gettinggp to a quarter inch of ice, some around a tenth and areas to the north, mainly snow... and quite a bit of it. these amounts include an inch or so of sleet mixing in... if hat sleet doesn't l lst as long as expected, snowfall amounts could be higher. all in all... this is a nasty day to travel with snow, sleet, freezing rain and blowing snow with the very strong winds. the stormmtracks out later tonight and then we get cold. i'll have that forecast for you in a few minutes some around a tenth and areas to the north, mainly snow... and quite a bit of it. these amounts include an inch or so of sleet mixing in... if that sleet doesn't last long as

higher. all in all... thths is a nasty day to travel with snow, sleet, freezing rain and blowing snow with the very strong winds. the storm tracks out later tonight and then we get cold. i'll have stores are busy with christmas returns... but they're also busy as winter returns. stern iowans are loading up on supplies ahead of the storm. many are stocking up on salt for their driveways. others bought shovels or groceries. "just a few items that i needed so i wouldn't have tooo out if i didn't have to." others are making sure their snowblowers areetuned up and ready to go. wind blowing

storm bearing down on parts of texas and oklahoma. blizzard conditions in tte pannandle. almost all of interstate 40 in texas has been shut down. people are being told to stay offhe road in parts of both states this morning. sixty-thousand homes are without poww this morning g n oklahoma. people in new mexico are not used to seeing this -- and they're also being told to get off the road. more than a@foot of snow fell in that s sate. wiwid gusts have topped 60 miles an hour -- which means snow drifts are several feet high. police say they have been busy rescung stranded drivers. it's not just snow causing problemsms what a mess in texas right now. nine tornadoes touched down over the weekend. hundreds of homes were damaged and ax least 11 peop were killed. andrew spencer gives us a look at the communities hit hard. in the darkness, only when the lightning flashed could people see the tornado in the distance. you can see the damage easiiy

after one of the torandoes hit copeville, texas ... ripping this home into the air. "it was prettyraumatic. we just came out to assess our o on damages, d he's overer there yelling for help." "we realized that he was running across the road with his aby." debralee king's neighbor begged her to take his two-day-old child to the hospital. she did, while her husband, glenn, helped try to get the man's wife out of what was left of their homm. "she was pinned in t tere betweenn a wall and the door." she survived. her baby did not. a tornado destroyed an elementary school in red oak, while -- just a few locks away --

jordan and his family cowered inside a closet. "that sound. i just can't get that sound out of my head." "...to hear wood buildings cracking, ripping stuff up. all we could do was run to the closet and pray, you know?" around the dallas area, the damage ranges from light to devastaing. eight of the reported deaths happened in garland, which -- the national weather sererice now says -- was hit by an e-f-four tornado. donations of warm clothes and food keep coming in to storm shelters all over the area. "i have no heat, noo electricity." it's not especially cozy, but jessica bandegas says she's just happy happy with that -- regardless where i'm at." ...a sentiment fixed, but we are very grateful severe weather is also causing headaches in missouri. emergency y rews are busy with high water rescues. one woman's car was swept away by floodwaters when she tried to cross a road near west springfield. fortunately, she was able to call for help and rescue crews were able to get to her in time.

hundred water rescues over the weekend. emergency crews expect more rain and more flooding through the day today. missouri is under a state of emergency because of the high water. here's another look at the problem. one dealership is under water. all over the state -- major flooding has closed about 200 roadsds high water is also an issue in another state. this is video out of indiana. a herd of horses had to be rescued from the rising water at a farm near indianapolis. despite the return of winter weather -- many businesses are taking a look at their books. a mild winter in parts of the u-s is paying off for some... and not so much for others. among the hardest hit: department stores and retaiers which stocked all that winter clothing that -- up uil now -- has#not been flying off the shhves. using inventorres to be too high. there's a lot of issues selling everywhere, inventories in scarve scarves, mittens, and sweaters, a big deal."

been hit hard so far this winter. many of them are very quiet. one industry that could benefit is home building. it shuts down in some parts of the country during the coldest winter months -- but has been extended so far this year -- beeause of the mild weather ii parts of the u-s. but again -- as we've been a big development this morning in iraq. $& we expect to hear that iraqi forces have retaken the city of ramadi -- seven months after isis took over. iraqi troops pushed deeper into the heart of ramai over the weekend. video shows the trooos walking freely through the area, inspecting the damage from airstrikes with smoke rising in the distance. isis took over ramadi in may. iraqi forces have been backed by airsrsikes from the u-s-led coalition. recapturing the city would be one of the most important victories for iraq's armed forces since

country in the last year or so. there's a lot to clean up in australia this morning. a wildfire destroyed more than 100 homes. no one was killed, but the fire is not out. it could burn for weeks. police were able to rescue a koala by the side of the road. also in australia -- autorities are working tc clean up a train derailment. the train n s carrying sulfuric acid when it went off the tracks. it's unclear what caused the derailment but there has been flooding in t area. an eastern iowa woman -- expected to live ly 10 years after being diagnosed with a rare disease -- has now surpassed that by three years. kwwl's jessica hartman spoke to the woman in waverly -- who's e of only 600 people in the u-s with this disease. playing with her two youngest children -- you can't tell rebecclalk s been battlinna life-threatening disease for 13 years. "its called fibrosing

call it fm for short." its caused by a fungus most of us have been exposed to - but rebecca's immune system reacted differently. now the disease is attacking her lungs anddheart. - - maang it hard to breathe and causing extreme pain and exhaustion most days. "like i said, i was turning purple because i wan't getting any blood flow." speaking with rebecca - - her outlook on life is positive - - tim "she is the strong one. this year she has had every inch of her body scanned or imaged, or poked and sff like cleaning. she is definitely utrong and she is amazing and i look up to here." but she's had her moments - - when she felt like letting the disease win. "i remember when that doctor told me we needed to focus on the quality of life not the quantity. i came home for that appointment and was crying. my parentsts we all wenttur own ways and i was just was so

glimpse of a scrapbook that i had done for my daughter, i started looking through that and i thought, there is so much more to life. i am not going to let this be it." it is moments like these becky shares in here book - - hoping others can draw strength frr similar things in their own lives. "so my book's not just about the disease. it's about life because everybody has their obsticals. we've got you covered in waverly . . jessica hartman kwwl news. experts say there is no cure for the disease -- and few treatments. we still have a lot to get to this morning: including a positive development as researchers track a serious condition among kids. but there's also a downside.. plus highlights of the vikings and packers games -- and a look ahead to their matchup against each other next week right here on kwwl. road conditions continue to deteriorate ffm the south to

and sleet track into the kwwl viewing area. this storm will also have heavy snowfall and very strong winds.

"now yourrstorm track 7 forecast on kwwl." from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather teaa. see the screen for your complete weather information. here is additioal forecast information from the kwwl stororrack 7 weather team: a dangerous winter storm is tracking into the kwwl viewing area today... a winter storm warning is posted for all of us through tonight. we can expect snow, sleet, freezing rain and ind with this system. roads are deteriorating from the south to the north as sleet and freezing rain continue to track into the state. stormtrack7 live weather network cameras will show all forms of

today. temperatures are in the mid 20s to low 30s, although it is only in the single digits in nw iowa. winds are stroog... ne 15-3030ph already gusting higher and will be mainly 20-30 mph gusting to 40 to 50 mph today... which will reduce visibilities and cause blowing and drifting to bba problem, especially where it will be mainly snowing. the storm is tracking to the north and will continue to pump in moisture over our cold surface. this track will eep precip over us all day and into the night with some snow showers possible tomorrow. we will keep the mix, especially the southeastern 2/3rds through the evening with most of us seeing snow by 6 pm. ice totals will be around a quarter inch iowa city and southward... with up to a quarter inch in cedar rapids and dubuque. snow and sleet totals will be 1-4" south of iowa city, 4-6" iowa city to cedr rapids to ubuque and

areas including waterloo, elkader and decorah. new hampton may even see more. the mess will continue throughout the day with strong ne winds... the winds will be slow to dieedown tonight with blowing snow a problem through midnight. light snow will track through tonight and tomorrow with little addtional accumulation tomorrow. we start to really cool down by new year's with highs only in the teens and lows in the single digits for the first day of the new year. rapids to dubuqe and include tama... with 6- 9" in arras

decorah. new hampton mmy even see more. the mess will continue throughout the day with strong ne winds... the winds will be slow to die down tonight with blowing sn a problem through midnight. light snow will track through tonight and tomorrow with little additional accumulation tomorrow. we start to really cool down by new year's with highs only in the teens and lows in the single digits for the first

still to come this morning: another big weekend for former football stars in iowa. they're now making a name for themselves in the n-f-l. plus -- they couldn't wait for christmas to be over. a herd of goats feasting on what could turn into a post-holiday tradition in one city. you're watching kwwl. we've got you covered in new albin, neww hampton, new hartford and all of eastern iowa

about childhood asthma. it could be dropping -- but not among kids living in poverty. childhood asthma rates leveled off in recent years -- and thennropped significantly in 2013. however, the problem is still a big one among children in poverty. experts believe they

environmental triggersslinked to asthmama speaking of exclamation -- former hawkeyes and panthers continue to leave their marks all over the n-f-l. sunday. carson palmer is picked off by mikk daniels -- theheformer iowa player. then later, david johnson -- the uni rookie -- with another big play. zone from 14 yardsut. arizona a olls 38 to 8. both the packers and cardinals and so are the vikings. minnesota hosting the giants on kwwl llt night. the vvings could clinch a playoff berth with a win -- and they had little trouble with new york. minnesota all over the giants 49- 17. the vikkngs go to greennay next week to decide the n-f-c north championship. you can watch that game right here on kwwl on sunday night. in one city -- forget leaving your christmas tree curbside. in san francisco trees are turning into a holiday snack for

the firedepartment is teaming up with a landscaping businns -- that renen out its goats to help get rid of weeds. starting yesterday -- people could bring their trees in to feed them to the goat the animals love the trees -- but the citt says there'ss limit. more than 2 trees per goat is probably too many. the time now is it's the moday after a long holiday weekend -- and some shoppprs might brave the elements to return a few gifts. some things to keep in mid --- especially in a world with technology ccanging all tte timm.. next.

and the presents opened. but the holiday shopping ritual n't quite over yet. kurt gregory explains why. so.... santa and his reindeer did their part.... and you have done yours.... now... it's time to hit the consumers tellus at retailmenot that 0% of their gifts go back to the store." those dreaded holiday returns... almost as much of a holiday ritual

tree. for some thoughhit's christmm all over again, just a few days later. ""shoes, shoes, shoes... debare2 shoes $23, michael kors $24?. i mean ome on". holiday returns are whatever you make them. before going out experts recommend doing your homework first... know store policies and what to expect. "so definitely want to try to get your big ticicet items back first and foremost because there's a time frame with a lot of have a gift receipt take it with you.. and don't expect cash back. and in today's high tech world of smart technology..... "having mobile computing power in your pocket is going to maa you a smarter shopper, so you can get not only get the

your i.d. - most stores will require one... to cut down on raud. kurt gregory, nbc news. here's a quick look at storm track ssven live doppler radar. today in iowa continines in a

eileen loan is bacforecast. a dangerous winter storm will continue to track through today bringiig freezing rain, sleet and snow to the kwwl viewing area. winds will also be strong, with gusts to 40-50 mph. the storm will

a weekend filled with severe weather leaves cities and states with a big cleannp job... and more bad weather is on the way today in the midwest. plus... with only 5 weeks left until the iowa caucuses, the presidential race continues. the latest in decision 20-16

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