thanks for joining us. as you get up and about, you want to look outside. >> you bet. did you see the moon? >> i did. >> good view of it. >> i thought it looked fantastic. take a look outside. we can show you some of what we're talking about. the supermoon is shining bright. viewers have been sending us photos. you can share yours with us by tagging nbc washington on twitter, instagram or facebook. this is the only supermoon this year. but it's the first of three. the next two consecutive supermoons will be new year's day and the 31st of january. chuck, what qualifies as a supermoon? >> it's closer to us. this is the time of the year when the moon is closer to earth. right now it's only about 225,000 miles away. during the summertime it's about 250,000

that's the reason why it's called the supermoon. it appears 25 to 30% brighter when it's 30,000 miles closer to us. it's a super view out there. skies mostly clear. we're picking up a few high, thin cirrus clouds. you'll probably be able to get some great pictures with one of those cool halos around it. you can tweet it directly to me at chuck bell 4. otherwise, dry start to the day. an increasing chance of rain as we get into the day tomorrow. the mild weather is about to come to a crashing end. more on that and the cooldown coming up in a u few minutes. thank you, chuck. we're getting some pictures of the aftermath of an accident. this happened in laurel last night. if you'remi

area, it's near deerfield run elementary school. officers found the victims in the middle of the road. the car that hit her did stay there on the scene. today is a big day for thousands of you who commute along i-66. those new express lanes kick in this morning. you might notice extra virginia state troopers to help with the transition. we have crucial last minute details for you to know. >> an e-zpass to drive on the i-66 expressway during the beltway during the height of the morning and evening commute. transportation workers provided information and transponders to last minute commuters trying to get ready for the change. >> the state needs revenue. whatever we can do to raise that money. especially in northern virginia. >> you'll be charged for using

5:30 and 9:30 in the morning traveling east and 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. traveling west. the more traffic, the more your ride will cost. if you drive on to the express lanes without an e-zpass, you'll be fined $12.50. >> what do you think about paying for the commute, the toll? >> it's okay. >> if you're traveling with at least two people in the car, you catch a break. >> if you are a carpooler, you can travel for free. but you have to have an e-zpass flex. you slide it over. turn on the hov knob. >> if you're using the express lanes, there will be signs warning how much it will cost. >> there will be two signs that tell drivers what toll rates will be during the time. they can make an informed decision whether or not to get on lanes. >> bad news for travelers heading to dulles airport and

your free ride is over. >> this is the stretch of i-66 that's going to become the tollway. it's important that you be ready and have that e-zpass. virginia state police are saying if you find yourself on the lanes or on the ramp, don't stop, don't back up. continue on to the next exit. there's a way to continue on and pay that toll. we have all the information about the big change on the nbc washington app. driving along i-66, darcy spencer, "news4 today." developing this morning, the white house is doing damage control. the president's outside lawyer is taking responsibility for the tweets that could land the president in hot water with the fbi. here's the tweet in question. "i had to fire general flynn because he lied to the vice president and the fbi." well, this implied the president knew that former national security adviser michael flynn

when he told fbi director james comey to go easy on him. that could be construed as obstruction of justice. trump's personal lawyer now says he wrote the tweet, not the president. on friday, michael flynn pled guilty to -- that's not the only thing he faces. firing back at president trump over the infamous where the president can be heard bragging about grabbing women. whether the voice on the tape is actually his. in an op-ed article billy bush wrote, of course he said t we laughed along. along with donald trump and me, there were seven other guys present on the bus and every single one of us assumed ee were listening to a standup act. we know better. we haven't heard any response from the white house. boy, what a night at the kennedy

a star studded evening that honored singers and actors, as well as one legendary tv prod e produceer. snoet ♪ >> that performance was a tribute to gloria estefan. also honored last night. lionel richie, carmen did he -- and norman lear. l.l. cool j was recognized. that was the first time that a hip hop artist has been artist. >> we communicate through our art, connect through our art, teach through our art. you know, we irritate through our art. >> sitting here tonight, i'm not performing, i don't have any speech. i don't know what i'm doing. of course, they said go in and enjoy it. i've never been this way before. always something i had to do or remember.

honor or sometimes you have to sing or perform or give a speech. you always worry, i want to say something memorable, i don't want to forget anybody. this has been pressure-free for me. >> nice chachk pace for some of those stars. last night marked the 40th anniversary for the annual celebration for the arts. one of the coolest events that we have here in d.c. all year, chuck. >> absolutely right. some big heavy hitting names. ll cool j, lionel richie, gloria estefan. the miami sound machine. a mild start to the week. temperatures well above average for the next couple of days. there's a serious shot of winter in your immediate future. i'll give you the whole check of the extended forecast coming up in a little bit. just know you need the heavy coat and soon. plus, power problems inside a crowded arena.

into darkness. the outage that's been trending online. implosion oops. a giant stadium still standing after being rigged with

last night thousands of

there was a power outage at the prudential center leaving thousands of fans wondering if there would be a show. they did fix the problem and the show went on as scheduled. >> he's a good singer too. >> i grew up watching football games at the pontiac silver dome. >> did the lions ever win a game there? maybe two. >> you can count them. yeah. fairly ugly arena outside detroit. the lions since moved on to a new field. the silver dome was supposed to be imploded. when the smoke cleared and the dust settled. there it was. still standing. demolition company says explosives were supposed to blow up the steel beams holding up the building. the plan worked except the dome didn't come down. the pontiac mayor is putting a good spin on it saying the historic structure wasn't ready to fall. >> well-built. >> you know, theyou

pontiac was down and out. we came back. the silver dome was the same. the hard old lady is not coming down just yet. we'll figure out why and make sure that that happens safely. the demolition company says the building will collapse. they're just not sure when. >> like jenga. >> the lions i wish they showed half as much resilience when they played there. you may notice things have gotten more entertaining in the end zone. sunday afternoon in baltimore. ravens running back alex collins scored a touchdown and celebrated with a quick game of tug of war. collins took on his offensive linemen during the celebration. didn't take much nor the big guys to fall. it's all because the nfl finally relaxed rules against celebrating this season. the ravens ended up -- >> there should be a time limit. if they're going to

>> i love the creativity. >> the coach says act live you've been there before. >> hand the ball to the officials. >> i got to tell you guys, you're going to enjoy today for the most part. but you've got to -- >> two thumbs up and then a whole other combination of fingers might be needed later in the week. nice -- raindrops coming. by thursday, it's going to be winter around here. be ready for it. maybe each our first chance of a snowflake coming up. >> speaking of winter, flu fears on the rise. why the illness outbreak could be stronger and sooner than normal. break out the boxes, the time is ticking to get your gifts delivered in time for christmas day. what you need to

we're just a few weeks from christmas. it's time to start packing and shipping those gifts off. the sooner the better. the post office expects to handle 15 billion, billion with a b mail this season. here's a look at what you need to know. >> get ready. your local post office is set

11th before reaching its peak the following week. around the clock effort to move 850 million packages between thanksgiving and new year's day. so, are you ready? >> i was thinking about that. because christmas is -- it's hard to think that it's on a monday because normally it's on the weekend. >> do you have a plan to ship boxes? >> no. >> december 18th on track to be the postal service's busiest online day with customers printing labels, buying postage and readying parcels for shipping. when you're packing your boxes, use care. use packing filler to make sure they don't move or break in transport. once you do that, you want to get your tape out and reinforce the edges as well. make sure you check with the postal service and make sure what you're shipping doesn't have any special requirements. to get your packages delivered by christmas day, here are four

have first class packages to the post office by december 16th. december 19th for first class mail, including greeting cards. december 20th is the cutoff for priority mail and december 22nd for priority mail express. don't forget the post office is offering extra options, including christmas day and sunday delivery. in northwest, i'm justin finch, news 4. just to remind us, if you're sending packages to alaska, hawaii, you may need to ship them earlier. double-check the dates with the post office. holocaust survivor turned 101 years old. the museum threw her a party to celebrate. she's been volunteering at the museum for more than 20 years. part of the first person program. it allows people to speak with survivors.

us -- >> i hope and i think i have -- >> she has such an amazing emotional story to tell. she's not letting anyone slow her down. when someone said she was too old to volunteer, that made her more determined to do it. if she wants to do it, get out there and do it. wow, what a voice of history for sure. for us, we have some big changes coming in the very near future. the change from sort of kind of early winter to the dead of winter is going to take place on wednesday. yes, indeed. december going to prove that it is a winter month through and through. there's the leading edge of the much colder air coming out across parts of the upper midwest and the great plains and out into the rockies

here comes increasing numbers of clouds in here. we'll spin out the sunshine a little bit from time to time. you'll like your monday today. not really a lot to complain about. here's future weather. by 5:00 in the afternoon, just a couple of high thin clouds. by 5:00 a.m. this time tomorrow morning, full cloud cover and i couldn't rule out a few drizzle drops or sprinkles early tomorrow. but most of tomorrow's rain chance comes in after lunchtime tuesday afternoon. here's noon tomorrow. leading edge of rain. steady rain late tomorrow night. the early parts of wednesday morning. behind that, temperatures will start to trend downward by wednesday afternoon. right now, though, nothing to worry about. cloudy skies, not much of a wind today either. 38 now in washington. but there are much colder temperatures. much colder air out into western suburbs. look at that.

gaithersburg only 28. dulles airport only 28. 32 in prince george's county. as you plan out your day, plenty of sunshine, temperatures. mid to it upper 50s for highs. colder weather the whole ten-day forecast when sheena joins me coming up in a bit. you'll hear from a man piloting a plane as it fell from the air. he tells news 4 about the quick action that presented a deadly disaster. closed for business. medical marijuana dispensary opened its doors days ago, but they're being shut today. we'll explain what went wrong within hours of opening. first, a serious warning about the flu this year. starting earlier than normal. the best way s

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your neighborhood cvs is more than a place to get a prescription. the drugstore chain is buying insurance giant aetna. it's merging with one of the largest pharmacies in a -- cvs is offering a growing menu of medical services. we've got to warn you about the flu. the dreaded bug that forces us to stay home from work. this year's strain is worse than last year's. even with the vaccine, you could still get sick. dr. john torres has more. >> at my medical center in brooklyn, employees are arming themselves against the flu. >> the more who get the vaccine, the fewer people who get sick, the milder the flu season is for everyone. >> across the country, 7,000

that's double the number this time last year. widespread in four states, massachusetts, georgia, louisiana and oklahoma. in california, gordon blow balm is trying to avoid a repeat of the miserable aches and pains. >> is that why you get the shot? >> i don't want to go through that again. >> over 65, there are two options designed to boost immune response much that's important because up to a month after, older adults recovered from the flu, they're still at an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke. public health experts are warning the virus to be a formidable foe. there are signs the vaccine against the main strain is only 10% effective. but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get vaccinated. >> there is very little downside to getting vaccinated. if anything, that's the only way to protect yourself. especially because of the holidays, the congregation of people and family get-togethers and things like that.

spread. >> remember, it's never too late to get the flu shot. it's 4:26 in the morning. i'm heading over to the live desk. "news4 today" continues right now with aaron and eun. "news4 today" starts now. right now on "news4 today," time for tolls. the lanes that promise to speed up your commute. but they're going to cost you. we're working for you with what you need to know ashey're rolled out. >> plus an op-ed by billy bush t he's saying about that thisw infamous "access hollywood" clip with the now president that cost him his job. >> the forecast that -- we'll break down when the rain is headed our way and when we have to bundle up. sooner than later, sadly. it's coming, right? >> it is. >> should be looking this way. not that way. >> i looked at

it? >> i was looking to you for moral support. i know you're as sad as i am. >> we'll be huddled for warmth. >> going to feel like winter. >> kind of a shock. >> ooh, look at that. >> you know why don't you? >> why is that, chuck? >> because it's winter. meteorological winter. there's a great view of the supermoon. skies are mostly clear. a few high, thin clouds drifting overhead which could cause a nice picture of halos. here's a view from the tower camera. nice looking way to get your workweek started. temperaturewise, mostly in the 20s and 30s. the vuft supermoon from our tower camera. it's i chilly start. way colder in the suburbs. 30 in fredericksburg. 32 leesburg. 27 in martinsburg, west virginia. what you need, shedable layer. get a warm

temperatures below freezing. temperatures up into the 50s. nice day. sunglasses today and jeans. a-plus weather. have to give today an a-plus, because this will be the only day like that this week, melissa. the cold is behind us. >> i like this 57. i can deal with this for quite a while. i know it is winter. i know. two right lanes getting by the work zone. that's the only thing happening on the beltway. at this point, everything is looking pretty good and nice and green. westbound 66 at fairfax county parkway. we had two left lanes getting by. that has cleared. 66 is clear into and out of town. 270 southbound from frederick down to the spur. you were on time. no big problems there. we're going to take a look at the metro situation coming up. melissa, thank you. it's 4:28. make sure you have your e-zpass in the car if you plan to drive on i-60. todis

new express lanes. >> here's what you need to know. only in effect during rush hour. that means you pay between 5:30 and 9:30 this morning if you head east. after work, you have to pay going west between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. if you carpool, it will not cost you anything with your e-zpass flex. >> there are two signs before the ent tri point to tell drivers whether they want to get on the lanes. >> remember, you will not have to pay anything if you carpool and you have your e-zpass flex turned on. tolls will vary based on traffic volume and distance. justin finch will tell you what you need to know. that's at 5:00 a.m. it's 4:29. chris lawrence has more information on a pedestrian accident. what happened, chris? >> the critical thing, eun, is we're learning that the woman hit by the car, right now this morning she's in

condition. this happened in prince george's county. take a look at the video. you can see that car sustained some damage. it happened on conte road in laurel. it's near deerfield run elementary school. officers found the victim in the middle of that road. we've also learned the car involved did stay there on the scene with the police. >> chris, thank you. later this morning, a fourth man will go before a judge in the murder of two high school honor students. >> a crime that shocked a local community here. police in montgomery county arrested a man on friday. he's charged with two counts of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. according to police, new dna evidence linked him to the murders of two people. back in june, the teens were found shot to death inside a car in montgomery village. it was the night before their high school graduation. police believe the killings were retaliation r