That could deliver up to 2 feet of snow in some areas. Blizzard watch has been posted for parts of massachusetts, rhode island, including eastern new england is prepared to get hit the hardest. The brunt of the storm is expected friday night into saturday. David bernard of our miami station wfor has more. It looks like were heading for a major winter storm for ufl the northeast and it could even mean blizzard conditions for some of the areas. I want to show you the forecast map. This will be friday afternoon. Upstate new york right along the coast of the low and it would include snow mixed with rain and would include the jersey shore and long island and maybe connecticut. And friday to saturday it could turn to all snow and by saturday were likely going to be experiencing blizzard conditions in some of these arias. How much snow could fall . This is just an early estimate but would could be measuring snow in feet. Theres still a potential of a six to teninch snowfall. As we go throughout the day, were going to have a much better idea. Im david ber narksd cbs news, miami. Well, some of the most controversial aspects of americas war on al qaeda could be aired in public when he has his confirmation hearing. John brennan will be asked questions about interrogation strikes. The white house is expected to stay ahead of that controversy. Last night the administration acknowledged it would give Congressional Committee members access to classified documents that outline their stance on drone attacks against sus spigoted terrorists who are also american. The reports will be in the hands of those lawmakers just hours before John Brennans confirmation hearing begins, and he will be the one today whos answering questions about the legality of killing americans who are believed to be senior Al Qaeda Leaders such as the americanbern cleric Anwar Al Awlaki who was killed in a 2010 drone strike. Critics say the drone strikes violate the law. We have something that even president bush didnt do which is to order the killing of a United States citizen without clear evidence of an immediate attack. On wednesday the white house defended the program. The methods that we use are designed specifically to avoid civilian casualties. I think its fair to say that far fewer civilians lose their lives in an effort to go after Senior Leadership in al qaeda. Brennan is likely to face tough questions from members of the president s own party. Democrat ron wind of oregon is one of the senators who pressed the white house to talk about its leagueness. He was threatening to delay brennans confirmation process and wants to know about his role in the drone program. Despite the pushback john brennan is expected to be confirmed as head of the cia. In 2009 he took his name out of consideration for the post after questions were raised about his views on enhanced interrogation techniques. This time brennan has already told lawmakers that while at the agency he raised objections about the policies privately. Meanwhile secretary of defense leon panetta testifies on capitol hill today about the attacks on the compound in libya. This follows his dire warnings about dramatic budget cuts due to kick in next month. Panetta spelled out a list of cuts the pentagon will have to make, cuts he says will seriously undermine the military. Susan mcginnis is in washington this morning. Susan, good morning. Good morning, annemarie. The cuts are already happening. The pentagon is shrinking its presence in the persian gulf of aircraft carriers. Its par of that long list that secretary panetta that said these cuts are going to have to happen in the coming weeks all because congress cannot agree on an alternative to the budget cuts that are going to kick in as well as a 2013 budget. The uss truman was expected to pull out of norfolk tomorrow to head to the persian gulf but wednesday afternoon word came in the truman will stay in port to save money. Playing the waiting game. Its not very nice not knowing when were pulling out. The pentagon is carrying u. S. Presence overseas ahead of 55 billion budget cuts that kick in march 1st. This is not a game. Outgoing defense secretary leon panetta says congresss avoidance of finding cuts is seriously damage america. They would degrade our ability to respond to crises precisely at a time of rising instability across the globe. The idea behind sequestration was that the budget cuts would be so objectionable here on capitol hill that congress would agree on an alternative. Thats proven to be easier said than done i fought to not have the sequester in the first place, but the president didnt want to have to deal with the debt limit again before his reelection. They passed budgets that are wholly objectionable to most americans. They didnt become law because of that, because they dont have the support of the american people. If washington cant agree on a plan, some economists say up to 1 Million People could lose their jobs. Now here on capitol hill, Senate Democrats are said to be close to legislation that would temporarily forestall these automatic cuts. It would involve tax increases by enclosing tax loopholes and spending cuts. Republicans are apparently planning to reoffer legislation in the past that would cut the federal work force. Annemarie . Susan mcginnis in washington, thank you. Well, the Senate Armed Services committee has postponed a vote on chuck hagel, president obamas choice to replace pea any ta. The committee wants more information about hagels finances. And news that the Postal Service is cutting back mail delivery to five days a week is not sitting well in rural areas of the country or with letter carriers but the post master carrier said its a choice the service had to make. Danielle nottingham reports. Reporter no more mail on saturdays. To save money, the u. S. Postal service is ending saturday firstclass mail delivery beginning in august. Many customers saw this day coming. I think its probably long overdue because theyve been having so many budget issues. Ive been doing everything online for a really long time so i dont think its necessarily going impact my world. Reporter over the past six years the Postal Service lost 41 billion despite laying off 35 of its work force. It would be irresponsible for the Postal Service not to pursue this course. We are in a situation where we are obligated to make some tough choices and decisions. Local post offices with saturday hours oochz will still be open and theyll continue to deliver express and Priority Mail as well as pack objeages o saturday. Congress usually approves any big changes at the post office but the independent agency found a way to sidestep lawmakers and most americans believe it is the right move. Polls show nearly seven in ten people support the switch to fiveday Delivery Service if it cuts costs. Danielle nottingham, c bbs news washington. On the cbs moneywatch, why netflix could come out ahead despite those postal cuts, and a major bank pays up in a ratefixing scandal. Ashley morrison is here in new york with that and more. Good morning, ashley. And good morning to you, annemarie. Asian markets retreated from yesterdays highs ahead of the meeting by european bank. On wall street, Fourth Quarter earnings reports did not impress investors, the dow gained just over 7 points to close at 13,986. The nasdaq dropped 3 points. A third bank has been hit with a huge fine for manipulating global interest rates. The royal bank of scotland has agreed to pay 610 million, and the bankers will pay it back because the royal bank was bailed out by british taxpayers in 2008. This is the Third International fwienk be fined in the socalled libellous scandal. Chairman deborah her. Man says the board is still weeks away from determining a cause. The dreamliner is still grounded but the faa gave boeing permission to relocate a single plane from texas to washington state. And the loss of saturdays mail could be netflixs gain. The plan to deliver mail over five days a week could save netflix as much as 100 million on postal fees. Investors like the news and sent netflixs stock up 6 . Theres some positive on that. Silver lining for someone. Ashley morrison here in new york. Thank you. Well, coming up on the morning new, alzheimers disease expected to reach high levels and later new Jersey Governor Chris Christie fighting back on the sensitive issue over his health. This is the cbs morning news. Announcer moneywatch sponsored by advantavagisil. Count on it. [ female announcer ] imagine skin so healthy, it never gets dry again. Can your moisturizer do that . [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. Thats healthy skin for life. Only from aveeno. A tragic loss for a San Francisco 49s just hours after the super bowl. Delaney walkers aunt and uncle were driving back and were stopped outside of new orleans when a car slammed into them. Both vehicles burst into flames. Officials say it took until wednesday to identify the bodies. 26yearold Nicole Thomas has been charmed with dui and vehicular homicide. She escaped with minor injuries. Caring for patients with apz disease costs about 200 billion a year but experts say that could jump to 1 trillion over the next few decades. Vinita nair spoke with someone who is helping her father deal with this crippling disease. Reporter amy lee takes care of her father benny who was diagnosed with alzheimers three and a half years ago. When he was first diagnosed he would say whats happening to me, i dont remember anything or somethings wrong. But now hes past that phase because his Language Skills are no longer as strong. Reporter more and more americans are finding themselves in amys position. Theres a lot of frustration. Its overwhelming. Reporter a new study predicts the number of seniors with the memoryrobbing disease is going to skyrocket from about 5 million today to about 13. 8 million in 2015. The baby boomer generation is entering into retirement years and as they age we know the number of alzheimers disease will continue dramatically. As the number of patients go up, so does the burden on society and families. Researchers dont know what causes alzheimers, and theres no cure. Right now were not prepared as a country to deal with this crisis. Yeah, whos that . Reporter amys dad will turn 90 this summer. She knows his faculties will only continue to decline. I think there will be a point where hes not going to be able to live at home anymore, so thats going to be a big sad step. Reporter her goal is to make sure he has as much dignity as possible as he enters the last stage of his life. Vinita nair, cbs news, new york. The boy scouts of america. Now a decision isnt expected until may. The executive board put off the vote due to what it calls the complexity of the issue. Now straight ahead your thursday morning weather, and in sports an awful start by one of College Basketballs best teams fuels a texassized celebration. Sports College Basketballs best teams fuels a texassized celebration. I gave birth to my daughter on may 18th, five days later, i had a massive heart attack. Bayer aspirin was the first thing the emts gave me. Now, im on a bayer aspirin regimen. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. [ woman ] learn from my story. It wasnt their cup. If you dont like that dark roast, weve created a coffee for you. Blonde is a beautiful, light roasted coffee. Kind of mellow, sweet, a little citrusy. For me, personally, i love connecting with people, so blonde roast just gives me a whole nother reason to connect with more customers. I work for 47 different companies. Well, technically i work for one. Vinita nair, cbs news, new york. Fuels a texassized celebration. Postal service®, s works for thousands of home businesses. Because at usps. Com®, you can pay, print and have your packages picked up for free. I can even drop off free boxes. I wear a lot of hats. Well, technically i wear one. The u. S. Postal service®, no business too small. Heres a look at todays forecast in some cities around the country. New york, the high of 33. Miami turning cloudy with 82 the high. Chicago, ice and rain, a chilly 38. Dallas, showers, 74. Los angeles, 64. And time now for a check of the national forecast. The calm before the storm in the northeast. It will be dry and chilly with temperatures in the Single Digits in parts of northern new england. Expect a wintry mix of rain and snow in iowa. And in ohio, rain, some of it heavy will roll across parts of the south, and a major storm moves into the pacific northwest. In sports now, Lance Armstrong will be sued for millions of dollars today. Sca promotions is seeking to recover 12 million it paid to armstrong for winning the tour de france. The Company Wants the money back in light of the cyclists admission to doping during those races. In the nba, the hotshooting rockets take on the heat. He takes dwyane wades hard pocket for the uncontested slam. The heat pull away late to win, 114108. In the college ranges now, number 5 kansas struggles on the road against texas christian. The jayhawks scored 13 points in the second half. They cant recover from the slow first half and they lose. Its the first big win for texas. A rough night for carey price. He takes a shot right between the these. Things didnt get much better for him. He gives up two third period goals to boston and a little more than two minutes and the bruins win, 21. When we return now, weighing his political future. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has choice words for a former white house doctor who offered a dire prediction. The freshenator. The buddy system. The do si go. The twohanded tango. El cleano. [ female announcer ] nothing leaves you feeling cleaner and fresher than the cottonelle care routine. Try it. Then name it. So beautiful [ female announcer ] Optimal Solutions complete protein and vitamin shake mix, part of our new line of products for women, created by women. Optimal solutions, at drug stores everywhere. Heres look at todays forecast in some cities around the country. Washington, d. C. , mostly cloudy, 42. Atlanta and st. Louis can expect rain. Denver, sunshine, a high of 50. And seattle, rain, 48 the high. Well, new Jersey Governor Chris Christie is firing back at comments about his weight. Former white house doctor connie more ya know said on cbs this morning yesterday said shes worried christie could have a heart attack. Christi hid back and said it was completely irresponsible to make a diagnosis of him. Ill have a conversation about her with that. Until that time she should shut up. A debate with christies weight began when he appeared monday on David Letterman and jokingly ate a doughnut. The number one reason, traffic. Some of the more outrageous excuses finch for being late include an employee dropped her purse into the newspaper box. Another delivered a strangers baby on the side of the road. One put a raincoat on a duck. Too bad they dont give raises for creativity. This is the morning news. [ male announcer ] if you can clear a crowd but not your nasal congestion, you may be muddling through allergies. Try zyrtecd®. Powerful relief of nasal congestion and other allergy symptoms all in one pill. Zyrtecd®. At the pharmacy counter. Good morning. Welcome to wusa9. Today is thursday, friday eve, february 7. Im andrea roane. Im mike hydeck. Good morning, monika samtani. How are you . You look terrific this morning. Oh, wow. Thank you. Mr. Howard bernstein is going to talk a little weather. A quiet day. More clouds than yesterday so not as pretty. We got to 49. Today well barely get above 40 and tomorrow a cold rain and an epic snowstorm bearing down on the northeast of new england. Weve got the clouds thickening up. We may see a peek or two of sunshine during the Morning Hours with temperatures slow to climb out of the 20s and 30s. Only to about 40, 41 here. Even by 5 00, we may see an isolated spring sprinkle or two. Better chance of steadier rains developing tonight into the overnight. That might even mix with a little bit of sleet or snow at the onset, especially west of town toward the shenandoah valley. We already have some clouds moving in and lots of moisture toward the gulf coast. That is the origin of the storm thats going to pound areas of new york state and new england with potentially a couple of feet of snow here by later friday into saturday. Temperatures this morning, its cold. 23 frederick, westminster. Its 28 in leesburg. To the south mid20s in la plata. 26 tappahannock and newland this morning. Easton at 26. Your highs this afternoon with the cloud cover range from around 36 in hagerstown. 38 winchester. Well barely squeak up to 41 here in d. C. Monika samtani, thursday morning, its early, timesaver traffic. Its early but we do have construction on the beltway right now. If youre planning to head on the northbound side of the inner loop, the inner loop heading for river road toward the 270 spur, watch out for that construction. Its blocking off the three right lanes. Well take a live look near the spur. Its not affecting you if youre coming down the spur toward the beltway. Its the inner loop of the beltway northbound 95 that you want to be aware. You need to scoot over to the left to get by. This time over to virginia coming in on 66 on the dulles toll road, youre fine. One last look on the northbound side of i95 and 395 where youre going to find the lanes open heading from newington toward landmark. Back to you. Thank you, monika. Were now just three weeks away from what could be yet another fiscal crisis created by lawmakers on capitol hill. Thats when automatic across theboard budget cuts go into effect unless Congress Finds another way. The buzz term you keep hearing is governing by crisis. Thats what a lot of people are talking about. The budget cuts are called sequestration and could have a huge effect on defense. Gary nurenberg has more. This is not a game. This is reality.