>> mother nature has gone nuts. >> we said she's having a mid life crisis. >> yeah. >> exactly. we have already got a new record, already a new record and sun has not come up yet. we will only climb from here once it finally does but it does mean we will be warming up. we have to track wet weather along the way. so with that said lots to cover here. still a very active pattern in the the tri-state area let look first and foremost at temperatures. record warmth, right. seventy-four is the spec high. that doesn't just break the record which we just set last year but it down ride smashes it. sixty-four is the current record and we have already surpassed that today. the christmas day we have upped our expectations, 69 is what we are shooting for so for both christmas eve and christmas day are likely to be record breaking days. we are halfway there storm scan three, that is starting to build up with a activity here. we just talk about some very nasty severe wet's cross deep

south and mid mississippi valley yesterday. this is same front that was responsible for it and it does appear that we may get in on stronger thunderstorms before that front crosses through. the that is the next piece of wet weather on the dock it for us, in the meantime, we're the at 07 degrees at the airport a shore sign of the southeasterly component to the wind flow ushering in and shove a very warm air mass into our area 63 currently in ac and you are at 60 in mount pocono. you'll not going to keep snow on the ground with these temperatures. looking forward in the forecast around shore points up in the mountains 68 degrees, watching for showers, but also that potential for a gusty thunderstorm here at some point and there could be locally heavy downpours that come with that as well. we will keep an eye on the radar and a let you though as things evolve, rahel, back to you. katie, thank you. here we go, live look at route 309 at bethlehem pike. we have an accident on the northbound side that has been moved to the shoulder so not

causing any slow downs but we will let you know when that is cleared. this is ben franklin bridge traveling from new jersey in the city here looking nice this morning. no major delays to report. we have one accident this morning, route 30 bypass in middletown is closed a at boyd's corn are road. traveling in this area seek an alternate such as du pont parkway. switching to mass transit all transportation is operating and on time. check out septa.org for specific who will will day schedules and additional information. rahel, now back over to you. >> nicole, thank you. deadly tornadoes ripped through midwest and south amid christmas travel rush, at least seven people are dead across the the mississippi, tennessee and arkansas and many others are injured. andrew spencer has very latest on severe weather. >> we came that close to the near death experience. >> reporter: some people made to it safety just in time. >> we were in the house, we heard wind picking up, we got to the storm shelter. we had 45 seconds. it hit. we walk out of the storm

shelter, everything was gone. >> reporter: others weren't so lucky, several people died as a large tornado formed in northern miss sip that i left a trail of damage for miles and miles moving well into tennessee. >> i could not even find my house, it was just that bad. trees were every wherereport overnight, first responders made sure to work to make sure none was trapped under debris and needing help. >> our number one priority is if we have someone stranded or trapped we're trying to clear each tree, each county road, each highway going door to door to make sure we can eliminate all of the possibility that there is still someone that needs help. >> reporter: storm system left damage across midwest and south, flooding road, downing trees and damaging homes in parts of the kentucky, illinois, indiana anal bam a as well. andrew spencer, cbs-3 "eyewitness news". meanwhile here in our area rain has put a damper on holiday travel plans. the messy commute on i-95, lanes were backed up with people trying to get home or

at the malls for last minute shopping, at the airport, volume held up travelers with long lines and flight delays. some drivers we spoke to say they sat in more than an hour and a half of traffic. >> rain, a lot, heavy, visibility, bad, traffic, accidents, trucks turned over on the side of the road, everything just waits until the last minute to do everything just like myself. >> reporter: rain doesn't help. >> the rain doesn't help. >> keeping it real there. while the road may be messy if it was snow, travel conditions, will be much worse. the count our blessings on that one. the for the latest traffic conditions get to our web site at cbs philly.com where you'll find real time traffic conditions around the region. it is a christmas eve tradition, a number of families lined up at termini brothers bakery in south philadelphia to order special who will will take treats. >> a lot of them. eye witt the necessary news reporter justin finch is live where the the stories set to open in about an hour but the customers are already lining up, good morning, justin.

>> reporter: good morning, yes, they are lining up. they are already lined up outside here. can you believe they let me in the kitchen. i almost can't believe myself. i'm surrounded by all kind of sweets and hard working staff in here. this is a family business here termini brothers, many of the staff here also like family, they tell me they have been here for several dozen years. i want to show you joseph termini on the floor here piping those cannolis, and this is non-stop, filling cannoli after cannoli. i want to walk you over here, i just found that there are american cannolis being made, we have got some sweet things here, and other pastries, crumbley things. these are going to the other locations in the city. but i do want to talk to you and also talk with vincent termini about the the process, this tradition, how it works and also too how much workings into a morning like this morning. >> months and months and

months of planning, and preparation, just this is an all year preparation, you know, you never can be prepared enough for what is going to becoming through that door at 6:00 o'clock. it is mind blowing, it is startling when you open up that door and all these people are in here. it the is like we opened up the door to our house. the it is unbelievable. >> reporter: it sound amazing, they eat a lot. i hear. that you never can have enough cannolis and other things. >> yeah, i mean the the kind of people that wait in line for termini brothers at christmas, their tables are plentiful so they get one of everything and then they get one of everything for their neighbors, you know, it is kind of like that. >> so thank you for a allowing us in your kitchen. war other thing i saw here these two here that may be good for ten hours. can i get two more of those. >> that is only part of the

case. >> sound good. >> all right. >> nicole and rahel, i will try not to touch these things i'm seeing right now but might fail at that. >> you need to bring that back here to cb. three we will see what comes back. >> yes, totally, thanks, justin. well, last minute shoppers are making it the the hill view shopping center in cherry hill. cbs-3 was there with shoppers, looking for the right gifts with very little time to spare. it is just one of the stores catering to procrastinators and shoppers who have long lists. >> didn't really get anything for everybody on my left. i'm just trying to get last minute shopping done. >> i tried to do one big gift and when i told him that was my plan, he said lets do individual gifts, so that is why i'm here. >> still sometime left. >> cherry hill kohl's has been opened around the clock since december 17th and it will finally close at 6:00 tonight. >> a lot of shopping. children a across our region will have presents to

open this who will take season thanks to the salvation army of greater philadelphia families pick out toys, collected through our joy of sharing toy fest and other charities yesterday. the organization will give away close to 20,000 toys, to almost 8,000 families, this holiday season. and in germantown santa came early for dozens of children, former nfl player and temple alumni raheem brook organized a toy drive there more than 70 kid were surprised with toys. brook says he remembers struggling growing up in philadelphia and wants to give back to the community. >> i would do the same thing, you know, when i was younger i didn't get that many gifts and i know how it feels, you know, when you you are struggling and you can't not get something for your kid. i try to give back as much as possible. >> i'm sure that meant a lot to those kid. the drive was put together by brook's foundation which helps inner city children. >> i love seeing stories like that. >> people in his position. >> oh, yeah.

>> so, still ahead on "eyewitness news", fire forced residents out of their home in west philadelphia, we will have the the story next. also ahead a christmas tradition here in fill arc we will go behind the scenes of the stock's bakery as folks lined up for pound cake in port richmond. >> ♪ santa claus is coming to town but first he will stop at suburban square, for some last minute shopping, we shall see, we have to fill bags inside the sleigh, but it the is just hours new for santa to becoming to town. stay with us, we will be right back. want to do something special this christmas? support i have a dream foundation. help a child achieve the dream of a higher education.

cbs cares.

fire rips through a row home in west philadelphia this happened in the 5800 block of addison street shortly were 3:30. all residents made it safely out of that home and the causes under investigation. also new this morning police are investigate a deadly shooting in east mt. airy, investigators say a man in his 30's was shot in the stomach sitting inside of his car this happened in the 400 block of vernon road around

11:00 last night. unidentified man then drove two blocks and crashed into two parked vehicles and was rush to the hospital where he died from his injuries. police are investigating a deadly shooting in abington montgomery county. source he tell "eyewitness news" an argument got out of control yesterday when a man pulled out a gun and shot and killed seven three-year old richard duncan a on his front porch. this happened on the 1700 block of prospect avenue. investigators say the gun man was later cornered where he pulled out a gun and shot himself. >> next thing i thought he would commit suicide, when i heard gunshots but that wasn't it. >> the a alleged gunman is in police custody and fighting for his life. a suspect is charged with murder in the strangulation death of the prominent psychiatrist in center city. police sources say 27 year-old emmanuel baez gave a full confession. doctor howard baker's body was found inside rodeway inn on

monday. leaders of the wilmington church is promised to go rebuild what a fire destroyed. last wednesday, flames reduced new jerusalem baptist church to ashes. the congregation has found a temporary home at the ymca and will hole christmas services there. the cause of the fire is under investigation. we want to turn now quickly to nicole, and katie. >> let's talk about this weather, forecast, kind of crazy out there. >> yes, it continues to be. >> i didn't even need a coat. >> the fact thaw hear bird chirping across the building in the middle of the december. >> yes. >> i think it is confusing everybody like bird are confused too like what is happening. where are we? is this the south. >> it is craze. >> yes, we have a very president is-like pattern that has continues to unfold. we will get a check and put holiday cheer in the forecast too check on christmas themes coming up here today. stay tuned for that. i want to start off by talking serious weather here, folks.

we have been tracking this cold front a very substantial clash in the air mass with it. the it is a very well defined front that has come with this. looking at wider zoom you can see that classic, comma almost candy kane like shape with the storm system but because it is such a strange pattern with such warmth that build up in advance of it it has good shot of bringing in instability. look at numerous storm reports over the last 12 hours or so. we can zero in on on these tornado reports towards northern eastern portions of arkansas. trailer flipped over, thrown over 200 feet that happened at 5:05 p.m. their time last night. another one multiple tornado reports, and they all have to be evaluated and clarified from the national weather service and confirmed that they actually happened but when we have this damage where houses were leveled, in sell manier there is some severe weather that rolled through. we actually sit the in the

severe weather threat for southern 23rd of our area but marginal, nothing, like what they saw, across the the mid mississippi valley but once they erupt they should be scattered but they could produce heavy downpours, gusty winds with them. when they strike you have to take it easy as you travel today. holiday cheer coming your way. lets take a look as we look to christmas take we are looking at 69 in philadelphia that is another record breaker. in christmas, michigan, colder. i saw somewhere in christmas, florida people travel down there just to send their christmas card and have it post marked from christmas, florida. it is hilarious and awesome at the same time. we have cold day in antler, north dakota and chill in the air toward the pack northwest and southwest, but here, nothing in terms of the cold. it is record challenging or breaking. today will be a record smashing day at 74. watch for a shower, locally heavy thunderstorm.

moving forward a ebb and flow on the outlook but not one day is even close to average. guys, back over to you. >> wow, unbelievable. >> in uni son, wow. >> that is a forecast. >> and here's a live look at the blue route past route 30 we have an accident on the southbound side blocking center lane. you can see police are on the scene and will hopefully clear this shortly. we will let you know whether that happens. no injuries were reported there. switching to new jersey, 42 freeway at creek road, no major slow downs looking open and free throwing this morning. that earlier accident in middletown at boyds corner road, we are told that has been cleared so no major delays, now in and around this area. nice time to hit the roads. >> yes. >> well, we showed you termini brothers but is there another tasty christmas tradition in our area photo journalist adam fox takes you behind the counter at stock's bakery in port rich pond. >> i don't know but they are

the best, they come from all over, right, you got your cookies and everything. best in port richmond. >> we tried to have our customers order ahead but we have quite a few that don't. we limit it to four purchased per person over the counter. i sell it. it would be in the thousands. i mean our orders for to day were outrageous. >> when we started this morning all of these racks were filled, this whole shelf was filled. it is love. my grandfather is one who came up with the recipe, we follow to it day the same recipe. >> it is stocks found cake the best in the world. cape may, new jersey. >> came from cape may. >> yes, i'm looking for a christmas miracle at stocks. i think i will get coal because i should have called in my order for stocks. i'm six shot. six people will not get them.

i might half them and say that stocks cut down. i say what do you want. they know i'm from port richmond. i better get a stocks pound cake under the tree. >> happy holidays. >> i will go on craigs list on the black market and get stocks cake. they are gold baby, they are gold. >> that is awesome. >> thanks to photo journalist adam fox for that story. >> true philly, right there. students at the a local school get quite a surprise, but it has nothing to do with food. >> still ahead on "eyewitness news" cafeteria cook whose voice is going viral. but first as we go to break holiday music from the philadelphia boys choir and. >> it is the the most wonderful time of the year.

♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪with the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you "be of good cheer"♪ ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪it's the hap -happiest season of all♪ ♪with those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings♪ ♪when friends come to call ♪it's the hap - happiest season of all♪ ♪there'll be parties for hosting♪ ♪marshmallows for toasting ♪and caroling out in the snow

♪there'll be scary ghost stories♪ ♪and tales of the glories of christmases long, long ago♪ christmases long, long ago♪ ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪there'll be much mistltoeing ♪and hearts will be glowing ♪when love ones are near ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪

♪there'll be parties for hosting♪ ♪marshmallows for toasting ♪and caroling out in the snow ♪there'll be scary ghost stories♪ ♪and tales of the glories of christmases long, long ago♪ ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ ♪there'll be much mistltoeing ♪and hearts will be glowing ♪when love ones are near ♪it's the most wonderful time ♪it's the most wonderful time ♪it's the most wonderful time of the year♪ blank

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ghirardelli squares a rpeppermint tradition.tive that only comes once a year. unwrap them before they disappear.

we are a day away from christmas and spirit of the season is going viral. >> one high school lunch lady has hey head start this morning. >> ♪ >> all right. >> wow. >> sing it girl. >> that is becky, from souderton high, bucks county, the students loved her, singing merry little christmas. thousands have viewed that on line. >> yes. >> great voice. >> i don't know maybe american idol. wait, american idol is going off the air. never mind. coming up next on "eyewitness news", justin finch is live in south philadelphia, a holiday tradition. >> reporter: that is right, good morning from the sales floor at termini brothers, you

all of the goodies are out and soon customers are coming n we will be here for it, live. we will be here at the news station when you bring back those treats, so we are waiting for them. as we get outside we are definitely dealing with stormy weather as our latest storm front comes in with warmth witt, we will have details, coming up, nicole. mostly quiet on the roads at least as this hour on the this christmas eve morning we will check them when we come back, stay with u

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looking live, right now at suburban square in ardmore all quiet right now but in a couple of hours the shoppers will be out in full force, we will get to those last minute deals and we will have nice weather to do their shopping. no jackets. short sleeves. maybe flip-flops. i might be getting carried away. it is shaping up to be a good stretch of weather here. good morning to you. i'm nicole brewer. so glad you are with us. >> i'm rahel solomon. also ahead police overs helped save christmas. the how they came to an aid of the family who lost their presents when thieves broke into their home. see the holiday surprise they will never forget. but first, here's katie, with good news as well. some warm weather. >> exactly. and, guys, we have a santa sighting.