The churchgoer who stopped the gunman who opened fire had we not had the Security Team in place, it would have been a much more severe outcome. How he trained for a moment just like this those stories plus ultimatum, a new front in the war over vaccines as one city says to students get your shots or dont come back to school in the new years. Where did my friends go, the streaming wars of the 2020 start with a bang as the central perk gang leaves netflix for a new home. And midnight mystery, drones have been filling the sky over colorado for weeks, but no one knows where they came from, so could it all be leading up to some kind of new years eve stunt . Today, tuesday, december 31st, 2019 from nbc news, this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, welcome to today, and thank you for joining us on this Tuesday Morning, the last day of 2019, last day of the decade im Sheinelle Jones alongside peter alexander. Savannah and hoda are off this morning. Already here in new york city, it is packed in this area, especially. The end of a decade, i say we stick the landing today. Bring on the 20s, the start of a new decade, the countdown begins right now. Lets get right to our top story, time for the Biggest Party of the year, but a dangerous winter storm system is disrupting Holiday Travel and threatening new years eve celebrations across the country. Were tracking the Weather Coast to coast, and well get to the forecast in a moment lets get to nbcs ron mott wloz whos at chicagos ohare airport. Ron, good morning to you reporter good morning. Last day of the year, and as you can see behind me, it is going to be a very busy travel day getting from point a to point b over the next 24 to 48 hours could be a lot easier said than done in many places. This morning, Mother Nature leaving her mark on the last hours of 2019, a brutal storm system churning from coast to coast, unleashing a fury of bad weather on millions of americans. What a storm it is, its so messy. Its really ugly. The midwest and northeast blanketed with heavy snow and ice, dangerous winds whipping, all of it creating a nightmare for travels. I see cars pulled over. I see hazard lights the whole way down. For residents in the dakotas, it was anything but smooth sailing on the streets, with plenty of powder wreaking havoc on commutes throughout the region in fargo, a farmer came to the rescue of a Police Vehicle stuck in the deep white. Another Good Samaritan lent a helping hand to delivery delivers on the routes residents in minnesota, eye to eye with the storm White Knuckle conditions on the road the frigid effects felt in the northeast and new england. Freezing power lines in upstate new york, snowplows working overtime in vermont. Rounds of snow and ice pelting massachusetts, while relentless rain took aim on philadelphia. As millions work to dig out and dry off, the strong systems windy wrath impacting states down south and up north. Minor injuries were reported after a mobile home rolled over and was torn to pieces during a bitter storm authorities in michigan say high winds ripped a tree from the ground before it crashed into power lines sending this empty car up in flames while in ohio, roaring winds that left more than 100,000 without power were ripping through the Buckeye State monday keeping cleanup crews busy a quick look at the flight boards in terminal three at ohare you can see a smattering of cancellations on the board because all the major airports are interconnected, a slowdown in one can have a cascading effect around the country. Always a good idea to check in your airline before you head to the airport. Thank you. Just a few hours left in 2019, authorities are laser focused on making sure everyone has a safe new years no matter where they ring it in. Stephanie gosk is where else, times square which will no doubt be wild tonight. Steph, good morning. Are you the only one there, is the party already started a little bit early reporter im all alone out here well, its me and a very dedicated handful of people that are going to have to wait quite some time. Theyre some of the estimated 1. 5 million that are expected out here later today with numbers like that, the new York City Police are on high alert, as ever they say theres no credible threat, but theyre asking the public to stay vigilant. With more than a million revelers expected to pack times square to watch the famous ball ring in a new year and a new decade, new York City Police will be on alert keeping an eye out for any potential threats. This is going to be one of the most well policed, well protected celebrations in the entire world reporter from the ground to the skies, authorities are stepping up security to close out 2019. There will be many protective measures you will see, and there will be some you will not see. Reporter perhaps for a party that never disappoints thousands of pounds of confetti will have wishes sent in from around the world its going up its rising. Reporter the famous ball ready to light the way into 2020 with more than 2,600 Waterford Crystal triangles, 32,000 l. E. D. Bulbs, a tradition that dates back to 1907 when the ball was made with iron and wood with just a hundred lights. In chicago, the ferris wheel at navy pier becomes a kaleidoscope of color. As others celebrate with friends and family, roughly 1,300 Additional Police officers will be deployed. Reporter Law Enforcement in las vegas are securing the strip for the hundreds of thousands of people expected for the festivities. Its not just in the u. S. But also in europe where they have seen a string of terrorist attacks in recent years. With the eiffel tower in paris ready to shine, police in the city of lights are on high alert, a resolution to protect as the world brings in a new year so the crowd will grow here over the course of the day and get huge but while we wait here in new york city, on the other side of the planet, the party has already begun. Check out these pictures from new zealand, theyre already celebrating the beginning of the new decade it looks like a lot of fun there, guys. Back to you. Be safe out there thank you so much. Nasty weather can impact celebrations around the country. Lets check in with al in pasadena, getting ready for tomorrows rose parade good morning to you. Good morning, guys, were in the Rosemont Pavilion where they build a lot of these floats. Before those go out tomorrow, were going to show you what weve got going on today the good news is the bad weather is winding down. Where its bad, its going to get better, and where its nice, its going to stay that way. Snow showers today in the northeast around the great lakes. Big storm coming into the Pacific Northwest, mostly sunny for the Southern Tier of states from california all the way to the southeast. For the big ball drop in new york city, partly cloudy, a west wind, 10 to 20 the windchill will make it feel about 30, and the rest of the country, there are a lot of new years celebrations for the ball drop, the Pacific Northwest and Western Plains, calm and quiet as you make your way through the Southern Tier of states, clear and cold tonight in the northern plains, and central plains, and then some light snow, western new york, western pa, into Northern New England southeast and mid atlantic into the northeast, looking pretty darn good. Thats what were looking at as far as your new years forecast, well be back a little bit later on what you can expect later today and tomorrow guys well take that report. Al, thank you. We have some breaking news right now. This is from iraq where protesters angry about deadly u. S. Air strikes over the weekend stormed the u. S. Embassy in baghdad overnight nbcs ali arouzi has the latest details. Ali, good morning. Reporter good morning, peter. Thats right, iraqi shia supporters have broken down the embassy door, stormed inside the compounding as gunshots and sirens ring out and fires have been set i think we have a live look of the situation on the ground right now. Peter, earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters and iran backed militia fighters had assembled near the embassy in baghdad to condemn air strikes that killed 25 of their fighters in iraq. The protesters have initially held funerals for the fighters killed in the air strikes in a baghdad neighborhood from there, they marched to the sprawling u. S. Embassy in the heavily fortified green zone initially protesters shouted down with the usa, hurled water bottles, smashed security cameras around the compounding and hung yellow militia flags on the walls of the embassy it appears the situation has taken a much more violent and serious turn now an Iraqi Security force tells nbc news, the guards inside the embassy have used tear gas grenades to prevent demonstrators from moving towards the Main Building inside the compound guys, as of now, we are still trying to confirm the status of the embassy staff. Its unclear if theyre still inside or have been evacuated. Just now President Trump sent out a tweet blaming the storming of the embassy on iran. Ari arouzi, a developing intense situation in iraq. Well keep our eyes on it. Thank you. Now to texas where authorities are trying to figure out why a gunman opened fire on a church there one of the men who stopped the rampage seconds after it began spoke with nbcs blayne alexander about the terrifying ordeal shes in white settlement, texas with more. Good morning. Reporter good morning to you. So far officials are not saying why this man walked into west Freeway Church of christ and started shooting we do know acoring to the pastor that he has been inside the church before. And again, a warning that some of the video were about to show you is disturbing. Reporter for a shattered community, moments of peace amid their pain. The hope we have in jesus still remains. Reporter members of the west Freeway Church of christ near ft. Worth, texas, gathered near the sanctuary where 43yearold keith thomas walked inside sunday and sat among them. You can see the terrifying moments that happened next play out on the churchs live stream. The shooter gets up and after a few words pulls out a shotgun, firing twice he was headed to shoot more people. Yes, theres no question in my mind on that. Reporter jack wilson was armed too, as head of the churchs volunteer Security Team, it took him just six seconds to fire the deadly shot that brought down the gunman and ended the assault. I dont feel like i killed a human, i killed an evil, and thats how im coping with the situation. Reporter texas lawmakers recently cleared the way for church Security Teams passing new legislation following the 2017 massacre at a church in Sutherland Springs that left 26 people dead. Wilson formed his team soon he trains them at his home gun range. Had we not had the Security Team in place, it would have been much, in my opinion, probably a much more severe outcome than what happened reporter according to court records, the shooter had a lengthy criminal history at least three arrests, including one for aggravated assault. Witnesses say he walked in on sunday wearing a wig and a fake beard and, adding to the congregations pain, he has been to the church before i had seen him. I had visited with him i had given him food reporter now, the church is mourning two members who lost their lives. Tony wallace, a 64yearold grandfather of four who worked in health care and loved to help others, and 67yearold richard white, a member of the church Security Team. The pastor says he lost his life protecting others. And overnight, President Trump tweeted about this, saying that he is sending his prayers to the victims families and the congregation he mentions the brave parishioners, adding lives were saved by those heroes and texas laws allowing them to carry arms. Peter and sheinelle. Heartbreaking there. The new york man accused of bursting into a hanukkah celebration, and stabbing five people is now facing federal hate crime charges it comes as Court Documents revealed troubling new details about antisemitic writings found in the suspects home. Nbcs kathy park is here with the latest kathy, good morning. Reporter good morning to you guys, as authorities continue to search for answers on a motive, federal Officials Say there were red flags during their search of Grafton Thomass home and car which uncovered a journal with antisemitic beliefs his family says hes not a member of a hate group and has a history of Mental Illness. Reporter this morning more charges for Grafton Thomas he was in court monday in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, two days after he stormed a rabbis home with an 18inch machete during a hannukah hanukkah celebration. Celebration. Court documents say he said no one is leaving he slashed five hasidic man, injuries ranging from deep lacerations to a skull fracture. Joseph gluck tried stopping the attack by throwing this table. I saw that he was looking at me i smashed it in his face, i threw it in his face reporter hours later they tracked down thomas in manhattan. They found him with his car smelling of bleach and what appeared to be blood on his hands and clothing Authorities Say they also retrieved a machete and knife, both with traces of dried blood. In his home, the fbi uncovered handwritten journals with antisemitic writings. Thomas phone contained internet searches for nearby temples, and phrases like why did hitler hate the jews his mother and his attorney say he suffers from Mental Illness my impression is there are severe psychiatric issues. Reporter when asked by the judge if his head was clear, thomas replied, no, i need some rest the recent violence is another reminder of a spike in antisemitic incidents across the country. More than 1,800 acts were reported last year alone crimes like this impacting people of all backgrounds, one woman felt compelled to act, bringing flowers to extend her support. These are my brothers and sisters even though im a muslim, but i feel very, very close to christians and jews and all humanity reporter investigators are also looking into a possible link between this attack and a separate stabbing of a rabbi in muncie in November Thomas pleaded not guilty to state charges of attempted murder and one count of burglary and is expected back in federal Court January 13th. Thank you very much. In australia as massive wildfires burn out of control, at least 12 people have died with thousands fleeing their homes, and volunteers are battling to save local wildlife including koalas and kangaroos, animal casualties expected to be in the millions. Morgan chesky is following this story for us this morning. Morgan, good morning reporter good morning. Some of these scenes can be describes as simply apocalyptic. Thousands waking up to the smoke filled skies winds pushed some of those fires right towards coastal communities. Conditions there so bad, the famed sydney fireworks celebration was almost cancelled. And today more than a hundred active fires keep burning. This morning, an australian inferno leaving thousands trapds after bush burning through two of the nations most popular states, wildfires forced thousands out of their homes onto the coast where many sought shelter on the beaches pretty extreme. It was very scary. Get out while we can. These people even taking shelter in an open boat. Skies glowing bright red as flames moved in. Those in town trying to escape the apocalyptic scene. This morning, we came down to the beach to evacuate and get closer to some clean air reporter the fires moving so fast, officials dont have damage totals but say nationwide 12 people are confirmed dead and the death toll is expected to rise many of the fires sparked by lightning strikes have temperatures topping 100 degrees. Crews are dealing with more than 120 active fires, but a fire map shows the danger covers nearly the entire continent some of the largest blazes now burning for more than a month. One of the biggest concerns, saving wildlife caught in the fires path. Koalas unable to escape on their own are at an especially high risk australians are doing their best to help. These thirsty koalas getting desperately needed water early numbers show up to 30 of the entire koala population may have died in the fastmoving flames and those fire crews may finally be getting relief today with forecasts calling for cooler temperatures and those winds to die down that relief could be short lived because we have triple digit temperatures and high winds coming back by the end of this week peter and sheinelle. Morgan, thank you 30 of the koala population. Its hard to wrap your head around we want to check in with our friend al in pasadena, this morning. Al, good morning, nice to see you. Good morning, guys, were in front of one of the floats that will be parading down colorado boulevard tomorrow. We are looking at a big storm coming into the Pacific Northwest. The other storm that caused all the problems is going to be exiting the great lakes and bringing with it that snow and wind, finally moving out around the rest of the country for today, we are expecting bright skies through the mid Atlantic States into the southeast. Below average temperatures through the four corners, look for plenty of sunshine throu