live picture of good 33 morning columbia. thanks for joining us. i'm rochelle dean. we're live from main and gervais. the time's now 5:00. it's another

your new years eve... no rain here in columbia at the moment... but you may want to grab your umbrella just in case.. lets turn things over to chief meteorologis john farley for a look at what

forecast. 33 we want to 33 give you a quick traffic update as you head out and about this morning. here are some trouble spots that you mighghencounter. south carolina highway patrol is reporting debris in roadway on i-26. that's going to be at mile marker 97 in the westbound lanes. and of course we will continue to keep you updated on traffic in or around the capital city as you head out for your morning commute. a-b-c columbia wants to help you jump start your day. we have a quick rundown of your top morning headlines. so, let's get started. we're starting breaking news over night here in the midlands... due to significant upstream flows into lake murray following recent rainshowers... officials with s-c-e-and-g have released water from the saluda -hydro facility at lake murray. this happened at four this

ened one spill gate... rereasing 18-thousand cubic feet per second into the lower saluda river. residents in that area will notice lake levels continuing to rise.. but officials say they will not exceed the recommended operating level. they'll be monitoring the situation during the next 48 hours.... to ensure this process runs smoothly. and due to much of yesterday's heavy rains... roads in newberry county have been damaged... keeping emergency crews' hands full. there are at least nine roads closed due to the rain. deputies are asking that you do not go around barricades or cones...warning that could put your life at risk. for a full list of road closures in your area... you can go to our website... abc columbia dot com. and more areas being impacted by the recent rainfall... west columbia's riverwalk park and amphitheater... officials have closed the riverwalk path due to rising waters causing flooding... once waters subside and the

city will reopen the park. and of course... we will be sure to update you when that does reopen. we also have a boil water advisory to pass along with you this morning... all addresses in the 400... 500... and 600 blocks of old barnwell road are asked to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking or cooking. also... all addresses on lynn drive... bel-air drive... and all addresses in the savannah woods subdivision are under a boil water advisory. this is due to a motorist striking a water hydrant in the area last night... and once again, we will be sure to update you when that advisory is lifted. we have an update on the "affluenza" teen this morning. according to government sources... ethan couch... has been moved to an immigration holding facility in mexico city. couch will be held there during legal proceedings which could take weeks or months. couch was arrested with his mother on monday after fleeing to mexico while on probation

while driving drunk in 20-13. his mother is now on her way back to the u-s... and according to mexican government sources she could face up to 10 years behind bars for hindering the apprehension of a juvenile. and turning our attention back here at home... 20-15 is winding down... and as it turns out, south carolina weighed heavily on the minds of americans in 20-15. according to the associated press-time square alliance poll...68-percent of americans listed mass shootings as an important news event this year... including the san bernardino attack, shootings at umpqua community college in oregon, the shootings at two military installments in chattanooga, tennessee...and the charleston church shooting. you'll recall dylann roof is the accused shooter in that attack that took the lives on nine parishioners... at emanuelel- m-e...back in june. and on that day on june 17th, investigators say dylann roof,

with open arms into mother emanuel a-m-e church in charleston for bible study. what happened next sparked horror and in-comprehensible sadness. but also a spirit of forgiveness and unity that few would have expected. a-b-c columbia's jennifer ready reported from charleston. and, here's how she recalls the event which changed south

or since. 33 tragedy on 33 still to 33 come... it's officially new years eve... and those celebrations are underway.... but first... find out what extra precautions are being

you and your loved ones... 33 here's a quick look at stories that are making headlines across the country. it's new years eve... meaning it's almost time for those massive celebrations... nationwide. but due to recent threats from isis and other terror groups... law enforcement agencies are taking extra safety precautions this year. with more... heres a-b-c's

turning our 33 attention to sports now... clemson football hopes to stay undefeated with a win in this afternoon's big national semifinal game in miami. and carolina basketball continues to keep its perfect season going. tim hill has the highlights in this

it. still to 33 come... we're moving our way into a new year.... find out where you can start 20-16 off with a bang right here in the midlands... that's next... stay

main and gervais.... 33 back. the time is now...5:22 let's take a your morning menu, sponsored by bojangles'. they're getting ready for a party right outside our studio. it's taking place..at the corner of main and gervais in front of the state house tonight... this year's headliner... five time grammy winner singer- songwriter... lauryn hill. the festivities kick off at 7- 30 tonight. looking to kill some time before midnight? the city of columbia has you covered. they're hosting a "famously hot new year's eve carnival" leading up to the big event.

and hampton streets. expect carnival rides, games, face painting, food and ice skating. the fun runs from six until 11 tonight. and speaking of ice skating... it's time to cool down before we celebrate a "famously hot new year." you can skate your way into 20-16. main street ice will be open late tonight.... until midnight. the "famously hot new year"...won't melt away the rink though. the rink is open through january 18. the skating rink is located just down the street our studio...at the columbia museum of art. still to come... it's an opportunity to give back for the new year... find out where you can start 20-16 by saving a life

from main and gervais. en 18-year-old son to a

traci hopes that by doing this... she will give another son or daughter the chance to see another day... 33 donations are especially needed during this time due to an increase in deadly crashes during the holiday season. each pint of blood that you donate can save up to three lives.still to come... the recent rainfall is impacting certain areas here in the midlands... we're going to update you on closures and advisories before you get your thursday started... stay

main and gervais. unseasonably warm start to your new years eve... no rain at the moment... but you may want to grab your

lets turn things over to chief meteorologis john farley for a look at what you can expect in

33 we want to 33 give you a quick traffic update as you head out and about this morning. here are some trouble spots that you might encounter. south carolina highway patrol is reporting debris in roadway on i-26. that's going to be at mile marker 97 in the westbound lanes. and of course we will continue to keep you updated on traffic in or around the capital city as you head out for your morning commute. a-b-c columbia wants to help you jump start your day. we have a quick rundown of your top morning headlines. so, let's get started. we're starting breaking news over night here in the midlands... due to significant upstream flows into lake murray following recent rainshowers... officials with s-c-e-and-g have released water from the saluda hydro facility at lake murray. this happened at four this morning. s-c-e-and-g opened one spill gatee...

feet per second into the lower saluda river. residents in that area will notice lake levels continuing to rise.. but officials say they will not exceed the recommended operating level. they'll be monitoring the situation during the next 48 hours.... to ensure this process runs smoothly. and due to much of yesterday's heavy rains... roads in newberry county have been damaged... keeping emergency crews' hands full. there are at least nine roads closed due to the rain. deputies are asking that you do not go around barricades or cones...warning that could put your life at risk. for a full list of road closures in your area... you can go to our website... abc columbia dot com. and more areas being impacted by the recent rainfall... west columbia's riverwalk park and amphitheater... officials have closed the riverwalk path due to rising waters causing flooding... once waters subside and the path is clear again... the city will reopen the park.

sure to update you when that does reopen. we also have a boil water advisory to pass along with you this morning... all addresses in the 400... 500... and 600 blocks of old barnwell road are asked to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking or cooking. also... all addresses on lynn drive... bel-air drive... and all addresses in the savannah woods subdivision are under a boil water advisory. this is due to a motorist striking a water hydrant in the area last night... and once again, we will be sure to update you when that advisory is lifted. as it turns out south carolina weighed heavily on the minds of americans in 20-15. according to the associated press-time square alliance poll...68-percent of americans listed mass shootings as an important news event this year... including the san bernardino attack, shootings at umpqua community college in oregon, the shootings at two military

tennessee...and the charleston church shooting. you'll recall dylann roof is the accused shooter in that attack that took the lives on nine parishioners... at emanuel a- m-e...back in june. after that shooting... photos surfaced of roof with the confederate flag... sparking a controversy... and landing south carolina in the national spotlight once more. in the 1960's the confederate flag was placed atop the state house. the decades that followed were filled with passionate debate on both sides on whether or not it belonged there. but the tragedy in charleston served as the catalyst that ultimately removed the flag from the capitol grounds. a-b-c columbia's beth rousseau has more on the change that

to 33 officials say women are giving birth at home more often... but find out what risks

cause... next. good morning. topping "america's money" -- a criminal investigation h h been launched into the blue bell creamery's handling of a listeria outbreak. >> invest gators aring look into what the company knew about the outbreak and how executives responded. at least three deaths were linked to contaminated ice cream. two-year contracts. >> at&t was the only carrier contracts. finally, no jackpot winner in last night's powerball drawing. >> that means the jackpot grows the at least $334 million in

five tickets had five correct numbers. that's worth $1 million a piece. >> not bad at all. that's "america's money." >> have a great day. right when you feel a cold sore, abreva can heal it in as few as two and a half days when used at the first sign. without it the virus spreads from cell to cell. only abreva penetrates deep and starts to work immediately to block the virus and protect healthy cells. you could heal your cold sore, fast, as fast as two and a half days when used at the first sign. learn how abreva starts to work immediately at abreva.com don't tough it out, knock it out, fast.

33 to health officials... home births are becoming more common... but they may come along with some risks. with more... here's a-b-c's

still to 33 come... it's been a year full of scandals and exploits in hollywood... we're going to take a look back on those top headlines before we ring in the new year... that's next.

from main and gervais. 33 still to come... we're ringing in the new year... and filling it with a festive and bubbly addition... that's nextxtn your day in history...

live from main and gervais. 33 let's check out the day in history. -united states ends official relations with nationalist china in 1978-rick nelson dies in a plane crash in 1985-panama canal turned over to panama in 1999 today is... new years eve... world peace meditation day... and national champagne day. that's all 33 the time that we have for the first hour of good morning columbia. but we're coming right back. so be sure to

from main and gervais. good morning, columbia. today is thursday december 31. the countdown is on to 2016! from performances to fireworks, we have all the details on what you can expect during a "famously hot new year" celebration. plus can the tigers take home once last win before the year comes to an end? what we can expect from tonight's big matchup in miami. and they started in our backyard and grabbed national attention. we're taking a look back at some of the top stories abc columbia brought you during 2015. "good morning, columbia" starts right now. captioning provided by

www.captionassociates.com. rochelle: good morning, columbia. thank you for joining us. i'm rochelle dean. we're live from main and gervais. your time now is 6:01. we are waking up to another unseasonable start to the day but things are about to change. one thing that hasn't changed is the rain. let's turn things over to john farley. good morning. >> john: good morning, rochelle. it's warm, here is the pocket of area we don't need rain. that is where it was messy yesterday and i suspect with this added rain it won't help things at all. what i want to show you is this is how it will play out as we go through today. the temperatures, look at this, well into the 60s. 67 here in columbia. mind you the average high for

are starting out 11 degrees warmer than that and only will go up as we go through the day. the other thing, some fog. not widespread. visibility is generally not low all over the place. look at these humid dis, when you get in those areas there are pockets of fog, be aware of that as you move around on the morning commute. here are things, the swath of moisture goes to the gulf, that will be on and off through the day and, yes, unfortunately tonight. the way it looks like it will play out is starting out relatively dry and pick up through the night, have your umbrella with you. here's the forecast before the new year's eve forecast. we top off at 70 with on and off showers, sometimes pretty heavy. here's your new year's forecast, the temperatures warm. ladies, yeah, you won't be freezing tonight which often happens when we talk about new year's eve.

showers late in the forecast for this evening. here's a look at tomorrow and beyond. tomorrow just some clouds, beyond that a lot of sunshine, we can use it. plenty of days to dry out with temperatures, more seasonable in the 50s. rochelle. >> rochelle: all right, john, we won't be cold but we will be wet. rochelle: we want to give you a quick traffic update as you head out and about this morning. here are some trouble spots that you might encounter. the south carolina highway patrol is reporting debris in the roadway on i-26, that will be at mile marker 97 in the westbound lanes and we are keeping our eyes on the roads and if there are any incidents in and around the capital city we will pass them along to you for your morning commute. rochelle: abc columbia wants to help you jump start your day. we have a quick rundown of your top morning headlines. this morning we are starting with breaking news overnight here in the midlands. due to significant upstream flows into lake murray following recent rainshowers, officials with sce&g have released water

at lake murray. this happened around 4:00 this morning. sce&g opened one spill gate releasing 18,000 cubic feet per second into the lower saluda river. residents in that area will notice lake levels continuing to rise but officials say they will not exceed the recommended operating level. they'll be monitoring the situation during the next 48 hours to ensure this process continues to run smoothly. rochelle: and due to much of yesterday's heavy rains, roads in newberry county have been damaged keeping emergency crews' hands full. now there are at least nine roads closed due to the rain. deputies are asking that you do not go around barricades or cones warning that you could put your life at risk. for a full list of road closures in your area, you can go to our website abccolumbia.com. rochelle: and more areas being impacted by the recent rainfall -- west columbia's riverwalk park and amphitheater. take a look at that.

waters causing flooding. once waters subside and the path is clear again the city will reopen the park. and, of course, we will be sure to update you when that does reopen. rochelle: we also have a boil water advisory to pass along to you this morning. all addresses in the 400, 500 and 600 blocks of old barnwell road are asked to boil their water for at least oe minute before cooking and drinking. also all addresses on lynn drive bel-air drive and all addresses in the savannah woods subdivision are under a boil water advisory. this is due to a motorist striking a water hydrant in the area last night. that's according to officials. and, once again, we will be sure to update you when that advisory has been lifted. rochelle: in the final hours of 2015 we're taking the time to look back on some of the stories abc columbia has brought you over the year. it's the day south carolina would be changed forever --

the historic rain brought columbia to an abrupt halt with so many roads closed and so many residents' homes destroyed. less than 24 hours after the rain came the highway patrol reported 500 traffic accidents and 104 flooded roads. governor nikki haley puts it into perspective. >> we haven't seen this level of rain in the low country in a thousand years, that's how big this is. >> our abc columbia team delivering breaking news october 4th. >> devastating, unimaginable numbers. >> we have crews all over. >> i'm next to buffalo wild wings and ruby tuesday you can see these walking lots are entirely under water. >> i'm at an apartment complex where you can see rocky branch has overflowed into the parking lot breaching its banks. >> the national weather service

>> we went door to door doing evacuations. >> i was in a boat and we were up and down hollering for people to come out on their porch if they wanted to be rescued. we took 25 children, dogs, cats, took about a hour and a half, two hours. >> here at home gills creek rose before they stopped reporting. >> this is ground zero for the situation for the flooding here in columbia. >> we've got partial down here, we had called the national guard. we have their asssss on the ground. >> residents were asked to stay put if they were safe and more importantly not to move or drive through barricades driving through blocked roads. >> the water is incredibly high, in all my years i've never ever seen the water that high. >> officials said more than 140 rescues were made. >> here it is. and within four to six hours it

>> with all the water came a levy breach in columbia just behihi adventure children's museum. >> time is of the essence. 200 workers are trying to sink a barge before they place weights on top before they try too close the breach. the break is allowing water to run back into the river. it was not an issue earlier in the week when the river was raging, now it is at risk of the canal getting too low. they say a crew will be hard at work while you are sleeping. >> we are working very hard, very diligently to make surethis dam is built tonight so by tomorrow morning we anticipate this dam to be complete. >> are you worried? >> it's slightly unneverring what we are going through right now but it's touch and go right now. >> do you plan on leaving? >> we'll stand our ground as long as we can. >> now 211 state road and 43

curfew put in place for columbia beginning at 6:00 in the evening. all residents were advised to boil their water. >> as neighborhoods are coming back, the water is goi away, neighborhoods, people are starting to go back to their home. >> it's unbelievable, the food, the help, the volunteers, it's the greatest community in the world. >> that was our alicia barnes reporting there. still feeling the effects now. you can kick off 2016 by helping out midlands flood victims still in need. officials with "usc relief" announced they're partnering with "famously hot new year." there will be volunteers at every entrance to the downtown columbia new year's eve celebration tonight taking donations of non-perishable food items for "harvest hope" and monetary donations for "the one sc flood relief fund." rochelle: still to come, it's officially new year's eve and celebrations are underway. but, first, find out what extra precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of you and

>> john: good morning, once again temperatures way above average and what we don't need is more rain.

forecast coming up in a minute. >> john: welcome back. good morning. today we have rain and it's warm. as you see the showers pushing north up toward basically lake watieri, it's over its banks.

2008, that's as high as it is, be careful around the lake. and the saluda river upstream of lake murray. let's talk what is going on in terms of your morning commute, if you have to go to work -- some of us do. here's the forecast. showerery and fog, temperatures in the 60s, it stays warm. as we go through the day today, how about this, onene more day where we get to 70 degrees with on and off showers. we will have the new year's eve forecast in a moment, but suggestion is have your umbrella with you. rochelle? >> rochelle: duly noted. thanks, john. rochelle: here's a quick look at stories that are making headlines across the country. it's new year's eve meaning it's almost time for those massive celebrations nationwide ring in the new year. but due to recent threats from isis and other terror groups, law enforcement agencies are taking extra safety precautions this year. with more, heres abc's megan hughes. >> reporter: the holiday street party will go on as planned but

called off, officials stressing vigilance in the attacks that left 130 dead. >> i was in paris the week after it happened and you can't let people like that dictate your lifestyle. >> the mayor in brussels calling off a fireworks display. they arrested two men this week in connection with the holiday plot. it won't affect celebrations at home. >> we are not aware of any threats that have been deemed credible. >> the nypd is deploying 6,000 heavily armed officers there, more than ever before to protect the revelers. >> it's a lot of people. >> it's to a point interest don't feel safe anywhere. >> pasadena is prepping for the rose parade.

agencies are protecting the 700,000 people to attend. the vague as vegas strip on alert. >> people should feel safe because we are there. >> the new york mayor is touting another weapon, a new task force. megan hughes, abc news, washington. rochelle: we are 11 hours away from the college football playoff semifinal between oklahoma and clemson. a story we've all been waiting for. our mike gillespie down in miami gardens to give us a preview of a game we saw last year. >> the day is finally here. hi, i'm mike gillespie, we welcome you to the site of the 2015 national semifinals between oklahoma and clemson, that game

these two teams very familiar, this is the second time in the last two years that clemson and oklahoma have faced off. last year it was a throttling by clemson. the sooners moving on from that loss last year but certainly not @forgetting it. >> they just came out and beat the brakes off us. >> oklahoma running back samaje perine remembers last year's loss to clemson. >> they were into the game, they wanted to be there and they looked like we didn't. >> but this year the sooners plan to flip the score, they are going as far as watching the game last year for motivation. >> we are coming with an attitude. >> dabo swinney having the opposite affect. no game last year has an impact

>> last year has nothing to do with this game. we have great respect for oklahoma, we talk about that all the time as far as last week's tackles and touchdowns and all that stuff, it doesn't affect this week. >> and when i asked oklahoma coach bob stoops whether he feels comfortable being a four point favorite this afternoon he looked at me and said: i believe we were the favorite for last year, they just didn't listen this year. mike gillespie, abc columbia sports. >> rochelle: we are listening now. thanks, mike. rochelle: still to come, we're moving our way into a new year. find out where you can start 2016 off with a bang right here in the midlands. that's next

gervais. >> john: good morning, another december day, more warm air and rain. showers in fairfield county, good thing about these showers is they are moving quickly, dumping a good bit of rain but continuing to move. lake waterie expected to crest, way over its banks, if you are

warm 67 here in columbia. as we head through the day the temperatures will pop out around 70 with on and off showers. if you are going out this evening, have the umbrella with you. looks like there will be showers especially as the evening grows long. i want to point out it's relatively warm. how about 50s, 60s, dropping into the 50s, so not cold, just a little wet but by the time the rain comes down maybe it won't matter that much to you, it will be closer to midnight. rochelle? >> rochelle: thanks, john, i know you will monitor conditions outside. welcome back, the time is now 6:22. let's take a bite out of your morning menu, sponsored by bojangles'. they're getting ready for a party right outside our studio. it's taking place at the corner of main and gervais in front of the state house tonight. this year's headliner -- five time grammy winner singer-songwriter, lauryn hill. the festivities kick off at 7:30 tonight. rochelle: looking to kill

the city of columbia has you covered. they're hosting a "famously hot new year's eve carnival" leading up to the big event. that's going to be on main and hampton streets. expect carnival rides, games, face painting, food and ice skating. it all runs from 6:00 until 11:00 tonight. rochelle: and speaking of ice skating, it's time to cool down before we celebrate a "famously hot new year." you can skate your way into 2016. main street ice will be open late tonight until midnight. the "famously hot new year" won't melt away the rink though. the rink is open through january 18th. the skating rink is located just down the street our studio at the columbia museum of art. rochelle: still to come, it's an opportunity to give back for the new year vo find out where you can start 2016 by saving a life. stay with us, we are live from

your time is 6:23. in today's "techbytes" -- our partners at yahoo! are out with their 2015 tech honors. the smartphone of the year, the iphone 6s. >> the smart watch of the year, the samsung gear s-2. the new year means one thing in the tech world. the consumer electronics show in las vegas. it's just around thecorner. >> it's a big deal. it starts next wednesday. high-tech cars, the drones, wearables as well. meet your future competition. >> right now, the world's most human-like robot is working as a receptionist in singapore. nadine remembers visitors. >> her developers say it's just a matter of time before these so called social robots move on to

and those are your "techbytes." >> have a great day, everybody. and i quit smoking with chantix. i have smoked for thirty years and by taking chantix, i was able to quit in three months. and that was amazing. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it absolutely reduced my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have heart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery.

i can't believe i did it. i quit smoking.

33 it's a chance rochelle: welcome back to good morning columbia, your time is 6:28. it's a chance for you to start

abc columbia is teaming up the red cross and encouraging midlands residents to donate blood at our new year blood drive. and for one midlands resident, traci wolfe, this drive is an important way to show her support by honoring her fallen 18-year-old son to a car crash nine years ago. traci hopes that by doing this she will give another son or daughter the chance to see another day. >> we all want to do our part. by giving an hour, hour and a half of your time, you make a difference. it's that little small speck of a bigger picture. >> rochelle: donations are especially needed during this time due to an increase in deadly crashes during the holiday season. each pint of blood that you donate can save up to three lives. rochelle: still to come, the recent rainfall is impacacng certain areas here in the midlands. we're going to update you on closures and advisories before you get your this thursday started.

main and gervais. rochelle: good morning, columbia.

this new year's eve. i'm rochelle dean. we're live from main and gervais. your time right now is 6:32. another unseasonably warm start which nobody is complaining about but you may have problems with showers. let's turn things over to john farley for what we can expect. >> john: we have showers out there, the bulk of them north of columbia and moving fairly quickly. there is heavy rain in there. again, talking about lake waterie is at 104 feet, the flood stage is 100, it's 4 feet above it, it's expected to crest at 105. also major flooding on the saluda north of lake murray. the other story warm, mid to upper 60s as we kick the day off. what will happen as we go through the day is we will continue to see on and off showers.

scattered showers, some of them heavy. now, as we go through the bulk of the day it will be on and off, hit or miss. there are more of them by the time we get to 6:00 this evening, by the time you kickoff your new year's eve festivities, not bad. as the evening goes on looks like the showers will pick up. have an umbrella. the temperatures will be fairly warm but rain is in the forecast especially as the night gross long, it might not matter for you as the night grows long but have an umbrella with you. let's look at the number, temperatures will warm to 70 once again. this would be the 17th day in december where we have seen temperatures at least at 70. very, very unusual, incredibly warm december and wet as well. here is your new year's eve forecast, temperatures are warm. watch out for the rain especially as we close in on

looking ahead, what will happen is new year's day basically just cloudy. temperatures around the low 60s and then over the weekend a lot of sunshine and that continues into next week and we could use it about five days of drying out. rochelle? >> rochelle: we could definitely need that. thanks, john. rochelle: we want to give you a quick traffic update as you head out and about this morning. here are some trouble spots that you might encounter. the south carolina highway patrol is reporting debris in the roadway, it's been there for over a hour on i-26, that will be at mile marker 97 in the westbound lanes. you may want to stay clear of that area heading out for your commute. we will continue to keep our eyes on the road and update you as your morning continues. and abc columbia wants to help you jump start your day. we have a quick rundown of your top morning headlines. we're starting with breaking news overnight here in the midlands. due to significant upstream flows into lake murray following recent rainshowers, officials with sce&g have released water from the saluda hydro facility

this happened around 4:00 this morning. sce&g opened one spill gate releasing 18,000 cubic feet per second into the lower saluda river. residents in that area will notice lake levels continuing to rise but officials say they will not exceed the recommended operating level. they'll be monitoring the situation during the next 48 hours to ensure this process runs smoothly. rochelle: and due to much of yesterday's heavy rains, roads in newberry county have been damaged keeping emergency crews' hands full. now there are at least nine roads closed due to the rain. deputies are asking that you do not go around barricades or cones warning that you could put your life at risk. for a full list of road closures in your area, you can go to our website abccolumbia.com. rochelle: in the final hours of 2015 we're taking the time to look back on some of the stories

over the year. in the military the saying goes you leave no man behind. and the same idea applied during october's historic flooding. we all looked out for each other that morning but what played out in the waters of lake katherine is a testament to communities tied strong. the rain started before dawn and nobody could predict what the rest of the day would bring. >> life certainly goes on but putting the pieces back together is different. >> the new normal started the day they woke up to an once in a lifetime flood along lake katherine. >> 6:30 in the morning we woke our children unand said we've got to leave, get out. >> the family moved fast grabbing what they could. >> he said we have to get out of the house, we could hear the lapping of the water under the floor.

to the dry land where other families were. but soon it would disappear. >> steven looked at me and said we have to go now. our back door neighbor woke up, they were on shady lane, she sent me a picture and she said: if you are coming, come now. at that point we have a 6 foot fence that was just installed and it was probably a foot below the top of the 6 foot fence. >> they came up with a plan. he would swim the girls across the street through their flooded lot, over the fence and drop one girl at a time to the neighbor. >> he took my 3-year-old first and when he put her on his shoulders and when he crossed it was at his chest, so he's a average sized man, and then when he came back, that's the first

scared to me and he was -- he looked at my 6-year-old and he said: allison, you're going to have to swim. >> steven sent off with allison, liza couldn't watch. the water was swift and she had to make it across on her own. she was shorter and smaller than steven, she needed something to hold her up above the deep, raging water. >> the yetti. >> the yetti she had stuffed things in at the house to stay dry would act as a flowtation device. >> i held that and did the back stroke. i remember holding onto the yetti and i came up and i looked up and thought is this going to be it. >> thanks to the yetti it wouldn't be the end, that cooler turned out to be her unexpected lifesaver.

>> a life of starting over after losing their home and everything they owned in the flood. >> i couldn't see, i didn't want to watch what we had worked for just go away. >> a new normal of rebuilding homes, mending hearts and a reversal of roles between this parent and her oldest child. >> she sees me crying a lot and almost looks at me, you know, like: ma -- or she will say: ma, why are you crying? god is with us. rochelle: still to come, women are giving birth more at home.

forecast. >> john: good morning. the last day of december, it's going out like most of december, that is wet and warm. here you go, rain and heavy rain at times here especially as we get fararer to the north lake waterie is at 104 feet, flood stage is 100. it's expected to go to 105, so watch out, major flooding on lake waterie and on the north side of lake saluda. commute forecast goes like this, a few showers, little fog, temperatures warm in the 60s as we go through the day today, once again we will top out around 70. incredible, 70 degrees for the last day of december. new year's eve if you are going out it will be warm but bring the umbrella, more details. >> rochelle: thanks, john.

health officials, home births are becoming more common but they may come along with some risks. with more here's abc's dr. timothy johnson. >> dr. johnson: bringing a new baby into the world, a life-changing event for parents that will occur an estimated 3.9 million times next year in this country alone. and these days, some women are choosing to give birth outside of the hospital. they represent a small but growing proportion of the total. but what are the risks of giving birth outside of the hospital setting? to try and answer this question,n, researchers looked at data on babies born between 2012 and 2013 in the state of oregon. of the 79,000 births they analyzed, about 4% occurred in homes or birth centers other than the hospital. they found that in both settings the risk of death or other serious medical issues was very low. however, compared to planned in-hospital birth, out-of-hospital birth was linked

perinatal death. in other words, death during development or in the first month of life. clearly more studies are needed before the risks of home birth can be truly understood. until then, the best step a woman who is interested in giving birth at home can take is to talk to her doctor and decide together what birth plan will work best. with this medical minute, i'm dr. timothy johnson. rochelle: still to come, 2016 is getting posted with a new stamp. find out what famous characters could make an appearance in your mail next. stay with us, we are live from

it's 6:46. >> rochelle: welcome back, your time is 6:49. whether you're looking to quit a bad habit or build a new healthy one, turns out technology is a good way to make sure you stickk to those new year's resolutions. say, for example, you're looking to learn a new language try "duolingo" or "babbel." "food-ucate" can help you make smarter choices about the food you eat if you're looking to get healthy in 2016. the "quit that" app will help those looking to kick a bad habit like smoking, drinking, or even talking to your ex. plus if the new year holds hope of a new job, try indeed's mobile app. and to start 2016 on the right note, try "lift." it's an app that keeps all those

look ahead to the new year. rochelle: the united states postal service is unveiling its 2016 lineup of stamps. a highlight of the group is a set of four star trek stamps honoring the original tv show's 50th anniversary. the star trek stamps show the classic icons: uss enterprise, starfleet insignia, a crew member being beamed up, and a vulcan salute. i don't know if i can do the whole finger thing but i'm trying really hard. rochelle: as it turns out, most americans plan to ring in 2016 from the comfort of their own home. studies show 48% of americans plan to celebrate new year's eve at home. another 20% will be staying in choosing to celebrate at a friend or family member's house. and 9% plan to hit the town. but it would seem midnight may be too late of a night for some because about 22% don't

perhaps an early night going to bed. and you can have a rockin' new years all from the comfort of your own home. abc will be ringing in the new year with "dick clark's new year's rockin' eve" hosted by ryan seacrest. the show will feature more than 538 performances including luke bryan, demi lavato and carrie underwood headlining the party in times square. seacrest starts the countdown early at 8:00 tonight right here on abc columbia. rochelle: and it's all about 1989 as we get ready to ring in 2016. we're talking about a new music video for the new year. taylor swift will be ringing in 2016 by debuting her new music video "out of the woods" during the new year's eve celebration. it's the sixth music video from swift's hit album 1989. rochelle: still to come: one, two, three. three, two, one, we're counting down to 2016. and taking a look at an annual

main and gervais. >> john: welcome back, the last day of 2015, it's warm and once again wet.

north of fairfield county into lancaster county and moving fairly quickly but we will see them on and off through the day. the thing, it's still warm. 67 in columbia. through the day we will once again warm to around 70 degrees. on and off showers generally not terribly heavy through the day. that said if you are going out this evening it will be warm, bring your umbrella because although it looks like it will start dry, by midnight we will have a few showers passing through. rochelle. >> rochelle: we will enjoy the day. rochelle: we're winding down to a new year and it's about that time again for the annual new year's eve celebration in times square. the eyes of the world will turn to the dazzling lights and bustling energy that the celebration brings -- star-studded musical performances, balloons, and a colorful technology display are just some of the highlights.

ball drop throughout the world and on top of that, about one million people are expected to jam into times square this year. better than me. rochelle: still to come, we're ringing in the new year and filling it with a festive and bubbly addition. that's next in your day in

main and gervais. >> john: welcome back.

and as you can see a rainy day on and off. temperatures warming to 70, new year's eve, rochelle, it will be warm but have your umbrella with you. but new year's eve, often times, i'm trying to look on the bright side, often times could be in the 30s. >> rochelle: could be worse. >> john: you can wear the spag strap, in terms of the 7 day forecast we will get clouds and then dry out and feel like january. >> rochelle: new year with new forecast. >> john: yes. today is new year's eve, world peace meditation day, and national champagne day. so you can toast in 2016. and as we all know it's new year's eve. we will take a look outside as we leave you, you can see the work going on outside our

famously hot new year's eve