Giuliani reveals President Trumps personal lawyer was pursuing his own lucrative business deals as well as mr. Trumps agenda in ukraine. So how will that affect the relationship between President Trump and one of his closest allies those stories, plus travel nightmare. Hundreds of flights delayed and interstates closed we have the latest on the conditions for anyone still trying to get home into thin air. Authorities are still on the hunt for the brazen thieves who stole priceless jewels and royal treasures from a European Museum and vanished without a trace. And black friday begins. Some stores are rolling out deals right this minute, so get ready to start shopping, today, thursday, november 28th, 2019. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in Rockefeller Plaza hey, we are here welcome to today. Thank you, everybody, for joining us it is thanksgiving morning. Happy thanksgiving i love waking up with you on this day. Im so glad youre here. Im so happy to be here too were going to have a great parade, so much ahead. We hope youll stay with us all the way through it all the way through dinner and stuffing and dessert hoda and i are right here in front of macys. Weve got al on the Upper West Side where the parade starts in a few and craig and sheinelle holding down the fort in the studio guys, good morning. Our top story is a parade story. The big question is will the high winds disrupt the parade and ground macys signature balloons everyone has been asking that. Kerry sanders is along the parade route hey, kerry, good morning. Reporter good morning, guys. Its a glorious morning for a parade heading down that way you can see there are lots of Police Officers and all the crowds on either side already building perhaps its a little bit parade jitters but there was a sesame street float heading down there. They kind of clipped one of the police cars, nobody was seriously injured. Right over here what i heard a short time ago, i heard the hiss of helium going into the balloons there, so its a pretty good sign, at least im hopeful, that these balloons will fly along the parade route there are Police Officers with gauges like this to check the wind, but at the bottom line the decision im told, if youll excuse the pun, is still up in the air the iconic balloons that help bring the magic to the national macys thanksgiving day parade all taking shape wednesdays inflation event drawing a massive crowd, eager to catch their favorite characters up close. Its so awesome. Reporter but the big question on everyones mind this morning is whether or not theyll take to the sky. Keep the city of new york in your thoughts and prayers so the wind will stay calm and well be able to let these balloons fly were hopeful. Reporter heavy winds in the forecast could ground snoopy, the Power Rangers and their friends. City rules prohibit the giant balloons from getting airborne if sustained winds top 23 Miles Per Hour or if gusts exceed 34 miles an hour. Strict guidelines that have been in place for more than two decades following a horrific accident in 1997 a cat in the hat balloon was pushed by heavy gusts and struck a light pole. Part of that pole broke off and fell onto spectators among the injured, a 33yearold woman who spent weeks in a coma. The havoc made headlines and triggered a citywide investigation. Macys works very closely with the city of new york and nypd to ensure that were following all the necessary safety guidelines. Reporter if the balloons dont fly today, it would be the First Time Since a windy turkey day in 1971. One option could be lowering them Officials Say the giant balloons can fly up to 55 feet high, but safety concerns could bring them down as low as 10 feet its cold did we mention its cold theres a lot of wind. Well find out what happens. The weather has been the talk of the town. Reporter last year the coldest parade on record didnt scare anyone away. And now with massive crowds expected to line the streets once again, authorities are keeping a watchful eye with an extensive security operation, now routine at big gatherings like this. And many of those people who are along the parade route have their hot chocolate, their coffee in hand, waiting for what is going to be a wonderful parade, a lot of excitement here, guys let me just say i feel sort of lucky myself because i get to witness it in person what a wonderful, wonderful moment were about to see unfold, guys. Hes like a little kid. He is we love your hat too, kerry. Lets check in with al, hes kind of the man of the hour. Hes at the top of the parade. Hes got the forecast. Its a beautiful, sunny day out. It doesnt feel too windy. No, its not too bad. In fact we had last hour a wind gust of 22 Miles Per Hour here in central park. So i think at worst maybe theyll lower them a bit, but other than that i think were going to be okay the big problem is going to be the rest of the country as far as travel is concerned thanksgiving has become a pretty busy day as far as travel is concerned. Lets look at what weve got for you. Travel delays tomorrow going to be pretty extensive. Pacific coast, storm moving into the rockies, so look for airport delays from minneapolis, st. Louis, down into houston out west showers for las vegas, denver snow showers. Sunday the getaway day strong storm for the midwest and the east coast a new storm comes into the west. So along the eastern seaboard, boston for snow in the afternoon, rain and snow for newark, charlotte will be problems we look out west on sunday, seattle, portland, into san francisco. Lets look at the forecast as far as the parade is concerned so, again, as weve told you sustained winds of 23 Miles Per Hour, wind gusts of 34 right now at central park were below that so thats good news we do expect the winds to maybe pick up later in the day, but i think the balloons will get off. They may, again, lower them a bit, but guys, i think were going to be seeing a full parade as far as our balloons and floats are concerned back to you. And let me tell you, its a sight to see you, savannah were so glad youre here. Oh, thank you its nice to see you right back too, by the way. Thank you. Al, well check back on your full forecast. Joining us two very important people with a lot of things on their plate, james oneal and jim oshea. Everybody is watching, mr. Commissioner, and watching whats going to happen with those balloons the winds feel okay. Whats the decision at this hour im an optimist i just got off the phone with rodney harrison, our chief of patrol hes speaking with our Emergency Management, the citys office of Emergency Management and macys. At 9 00, winds are predicted sustained winds at 20 and were keeping an eye on the gusts. Mother nature is starting to cooperate. The balloons might have to come down lower but hopefully well be able to fly the balloons. Just so folks know, you guys decide and kind of go minute by minute with your wind gauges at any time you can make that important call. We can start on the parade route. If they go a little too high, we can take them off the parade route. The other thing we talk about is security, and were always so grateful to the nypd we know youre everywhere where we can see and also not see. How was it this year in terms of preparation . This preparation began literally last year right after the parade we take a look at every event and what we can do better. I want to say a special shoutout to the thousands of nypd cops out there this morning, wife and their families, happy thanksgiving to them all the message to new yorkers is pretty concise here. Its a great day its going to be a great day to come out enjoy the start of the holiday season. Commissioner, this is a great day for you. This happens to be our very last parade were on the eve of your im happy, im sad, retirement in this moment how are you feeling as you say goodbye to the nypd really mixed feelings so many feelings im happy, im sad, maybe a little anxious about moving on its been almost 37 years of my life, well over half my life but i just want to thank all the mandy women of the nypd for everything they do everything they do every day theyre out there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year long missing anniversaries, holidays, birthdays. Theyre just wonderful people. They took this job to make a difference and each and every one of them do every day. We thank you, commissioner. We know youve got a good replacement. Chief, welcome and happy thanksgiving to both of you. Happy thanksgiving. We appreciate it. Right now well head back to craig and sheinelle with the other news. That was nice appreciate his honesty there. Well, the turkey and the trimmings will have to wait for some 60,000 people in texas who have been forced to evacuate their homes after a pair of explosions at a Chemical PlantMorgan Chesky is in port neches along the texas louisiana border morgan, good morning. Reporter yeah, sheinelle, good morning shaping up to be an uneasy day for so many people here. Two explosions yesterday and firefighters say another overnight. All of those fueling these flames behind me that are still very much burning. The concern this morning, a thick plume of black smoke forcing evacuations for miles, turning this community into a ghost town after two violent explosions at a Chemical Plant in less than 24 hours, its definitely not going to be a traditional thanksgiving for 60,000 people in this Texas Community outside houston, now ordered to evacuate their homes ahead of the holiday security cameras capturing the white flash of the initial blast early wednesday. Raging flames now tearing through this facility owned by the tpc group, a company that produces chemicals used to make rubbers, fuels and plastics. Firefighters have been working around the clock to extinguish the chemicaldriven flames but wednesday afternoon a second large explosion launched debris into the air the disaster catching people in the surrounding areas by surprise across town, buildings, schools and homes rocked by the explosion. Residents rattled, unsure of what could happen next. About a couple of minutes ago we heard two small explosions and then a very large one so it might not be as under control as it looks. Reporter the brown family miraculously uninjured after the force of the blast blew their front door off. It sounded like a bomb went off inside the house. Reporter from the sky, thick, black smoke drifting for miles over the city. Officials say at least three storage tanks are still burning. Three workers at the plant suffered nonlifethreatening injuries and five others were sprayed by shattered glass and debris all of a sudden this comes flying in. Reporter ray fisher and his wife spent the day boarding up windows and sweeping up flying glass. That was the most terrifying thing that ever happened, i think. Reporter this thanksgiving after two very close calls, many here say they are just thankful to be alive. And Officials Say their plan today, due to the intense nature of this fire, is to simply let a lot of those materials simply burn out in the meantime, theyre shooting a plume or a stream of water onto some of these storage tanks in hopes of preventing yet another explosion here sheinelle, craig. Morgan, thank you. Turning now to that surprising report rocking washington on this holiday morning. According to the New York Times, while he was pushing President Trumps agenda in ukraine, Rudy Giuliani was also privately pursuing his own lucrative contracts with officials there in ukraine Nbcs Kelly Odonnell has the details on this one. The bidens ties to that kelly o. , good morning to you. Reporter good morning, craig. The president s personal lawyer may have had a separate business agenda regarding ukraine earlier this year at the same time he was relying on ukrainian officials to help out the president , as guiliani looked for evidence of corruption and the bidens ties to that country. Documents reviewed by the New York Times reportedly show Rudy Giuliani was in talks with a prominent ukrainian prosecutor and ukraines ministry of justice for guilianis private firm to do work on their behalf. The times reviewed draft copies of contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars that were prepared but not finalized. Guiliani responded on twitter saying i did not pursue a Business Opportunity in ukraine, was paid zero. Craig. Kelly, lets talk about Richard Spencer taking aim once again at President Trump over his recent firing. Whats the secretary saying now . Reporter craig, this is a really notable stinging oped published today by the washington post. The ousted Navy Secretary talks about why he was fired sunday. The drama centers around what spencer calls the president s interference in military justice over a navy s. E. A. L. Accused of numerous war crimes but convicted of only one count posing with a dead militant for a photo. The president said he retire with his full rank and keep his coveted trident pin. Secretary spencer told the president repeatedly not to get involved and to allow a navy peer review to determine whether gallagher would be stripped of his s. E. A. L. Membership. So spencer takes a really notable jab at the president he writes this this was a shocking and unprecedented intervention in a lowlevel review it was also a reminder that the president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices. Spencer also says he was wrong not to keep the secretary of defense informed about what he was thinking and doing craig. Kelly odonnell traveling with the president there in West Palm Beach kelly o. , thank you. Now to some stunning new details in the biggest jewelry heist in decades this Morning Police reviewing new images of those royal treasures stolen from a European Museum by those brazen thieves caught on camera but still gone without a trace, it would seem bill neely is following the case for us bill, good morning. Yeah, good morning, craig German Police have had hundreds of tips, but the gang is still on the run and the fear is that right now they may be breaking those beautiful pieces apart into individual diamonds that they can sell, although selling them wont be easy and the global hunt to catch them isnt proving easy either admired for centuries, stolen in minutes, jewels say experts that may never be seen again. Police releasing images of the 17 missing pieces. One, a 49carat diamond worth up to 12 million another made of diamonds from the 1600s worn by queens this is their last known location german media showing the burnedout getaway car used by the thieves. Police are closer to knowing how they did it, but not who they now say the cc tv images show only two of a fourman gang one using an ax to smash open a display cabinet. They say the thieves grabbed what they could but less than first feared it was well planned. A fire disabling the alarm system, powder from a fire extinguisher covering their tracks police are still in the green vault trying to work out why when there were 4,000 precious objects to choose from, the thieves chose this display case. And how do you sell this a sword encrusted with nearly 800 diamonds experts say the thieves will have a hard time selling any of it if they break them down into individual stones or even into individual pieces and not part of a set, they will lose a huge part of their theoretical value. Reporter the museum isnt putting a price on whats gone, but one expert estimate is 1 billion. The car and the cc tv provided few clues. The biggest jewelry heist for decades, and still no trace of the thieves or of some of europes most precious gems. So good news and bad news. The good news is there is still hope the swedish crown jewels, which were stolen a few years ago, were found in a trash can. They were just too hard to sell. Just a few days ago, a precious manuscript was recovered that had been stolen 400 years ago. The bad news is, wait for it, these jewels werent insured the insurance premiums for all those diamonds just too expensive. Craig. Wow. Yikes. My goodness all right, thank you, bill. Bill, thank you. Now lets go to mr. Roker at the top of the parade route for the full forecast. Good morning to you. Happy thanksgiving. Hey, buddy. Hey, good morning, guys theyre bringing in tom turkey this one of course leads off the parade hes the only turkey that you know lives between this year and next year. Its pretty good this is a pretty big float lets show you what we have happening as far as your thanksgiving forecast is concerned. We are looking for gusty winds in the northeast, plenty of sunshine down in florida, heavy rain in the midmississippi and ohio river valleys, a real mess through the rockies, record cold in Northern California and a flood threat in Southern California into the southwest. Were going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds happy thanksgiving. Beautiful view of downtown san jose. If youre heading out to do the turkey trot this morning, it is chilly. Current temperature in san jose 37 degrees. Palo alto 37. We have some frost advisories in the north bay. Santa rosa 33 degrees and we will be climbing into the 40s and 50s as far as the rain goes we cant expect to see a chance of isolated showers through the afternoon with a chance of low level snow as well for our mountains. Micro climate highs upper 40s, low 50s for oakland, san jose, 51. Hey, savannah and hoda, the winds are picking up a little bit. As you look in the distance, you can se hey, savannah, hoda, the wind is starting to pick up here a little bit as you look in the distance, you can see the jolly green giant. Those winds might be blowing around th