Of weather could hit the south this weekend as millions of holiday travellers are expected to return home on the roads or in the air. We begin tonight with nbcs mark potter. Reporter in holly springs, mississippi, families spent Christmas Day trying to salvage what they could. Speak of the grinch that stole christmas. But spared our lives. Reporter the season of giving took on new meaning in this community. With donations pouring in. Christmas toys along with food and d clothing. We came out with the clothes we had on our backs. When something happens like this, we all come together and make sure everybody is taken care of. Reporter around clarksdale, as many as 20 homes are gone. My heart goes out to these people. They are in pain and it hurts me to see them suffer. Reporter so far reporter so far 14 people are confirmed dead across three states. Nicholas who was killed in mississippi. There is a parent out there that doesnt have their kids. Reporter max and Ellen Croxton together for 30 years died this their home. Theidaughter took to facebook, thanking friends and family for the outpouring of support, adding, i know i will see them again one day. It doesnt make the heartache any less painful though. In tennessee, antonio and his 69yearold wife annie were killed. Three teenagers also died in that state. The warm weatherer system that spun these twisters is blamed for the torrential rain in georgia. That is, i think, our picnic table on the deck. Reporter that has trapped dozens of residents in their homes. In alabama several families had to be rescued and millions are bracing for more flash floods through the night. Mark potter, nbc news. Rough situation at any time of the year but especially at christmas and so many of them are thought of tonight. Elsewhere across the country in today, Church Services and celebrations and airconditioning for many on the warmest christmas ever recorded. Plenty of happy faces and gadgets, but for some disappointment when the promised deliveries didnt make it in time. Nbcs Kristen Dahlgren wraps it all up. Reporter at fedex today, there was no christmas break. A lastminute scramble for employees that volunteered to get gifts where they need to be. The shipping giant slammed on social media for not delivering packages on time. One mom posting i hope to find a open store. Martys holiday sweets are stuck in transit. If my baked goods arrive moldy, then it is what it is. And hopefully ill get a refund. Reporter in a statement, fedex said they are doing Everything Possible to get customer shipments delivered by christmas. In spite of slight delays due to heavier than planned lastminute shipment volumes and Severe Weather outbreaks. There are weather extremes across the country. In new york, the says it all. The mercury soaring to a record high of 66. Santa hats topping sleeveless shirts. And ice cream replacing cocoa. What do you guys think about eating ice cream on christmas . I like it. Reporter so does the ice cream man. Best christmas ever. Reporter it was a golfers paradise near providence. I was going to put my shorts on. Reporter while in buffalo, where christmas is usually encased in ice, there were jet skis an scuba diving. But there is a flip side out west. Reno saw it piling up. In washington state, some drivers were stranded after snow closed i90. You just have to roll with it. Reporter for u. S. Troops far from home, it was about making the best of it. With a holiday meal and messages to loved ones. The pope had a christmas message as well. Calling for peace in the new year. While back in new newborns were welcomed by santa himself. And here in Rockefeller Center tonight, the warm weather isnt stopping anyones christmas spirit. You could see how many people are out to see the tree. Many of them telling us they will take this weather as a gift, thomas. They know winter will get here eventually. It all helps them get the selfie by the tree. Kristen, thank you very much. Merry christmas to you. We want to check in with wnbcs david price and talk about the weather. We see this aboveaverage temperature continuing for much of the country. But explain what we are looking at over the weekend especially for the rush back home for many. We have violent weather through many parts of the country. In fact, moments before we went on the air we heard of a tornado in the area of the south side of birmingham, alabama. So all of the troubles continue, thomas. It may be a holiday for some but Mother Nature is working overtime. A postchristmas storm will add to the weather troubles in the south and the southeast. And blizzard conditions are affecting sections of eastern new mexico. Now, a severe thunderstorm providing the troubles if from texas to oklahoma and into mississippi. And then heavy, flooding rains working through the deep south up through the ohio river valley. Portions of the Northern Plains could see six to ten inches or more of snow from tonight into saturday night. And finally, the northeast, where all of these recordsetting temperatures have been, will finally see some winterlike conditions for the first half of next week. The same storm slamming the south will swing up to the northeast and effect interior sections by monday afternoon bringing snow to much of new england and a wintry mix to pennsylvania, new york, connecticut, and rhode island. Thank you, appreciate it. Tonight a new fight over illegal immigration. Amid word that the feds are planning raids to report hundreds of undocumented families from Central America that have surged across the southern border. The 2016 candidates are already weighing has the details. Reporter during the obamas hawaiian holiday, his administration is working up a new plan to deal with one of the hottest issues on the campaign trail. If i didnt bring up illegal immigration, which is a huge problem, we wouldnt be talking about it. Our immigration system is broken. And we need to keep families together. Reporter tonight, this new action involves plans to carry out raids across the country, to deport a few hundred undocumented immigrants from Central America, already ordered to leave by u. S. Courts. Immigration and Custom Enforcement said the focus is on those who pose a threat to national security, Public Safety and border security. But relatives, undocumented spouses and children with no criminal records would be sent back too. Be sent back too. Drawing sharp criticism from the president s political left. Bernie sanders writes, im very disturbed. Hillary clinton has real concerns and points to the need for a full and fair hearing. Frontrunner eagerly claimed credit. In classic trumptweet speak. Wow, because of the pressure put on by me ice to launch largescale deportation raids. Its about time. Experts say announcing the plan now over the Christmas Holiday is meant to maximize attention, especially in Central America. The government is sending a political message to americans that they will enforce Immigration Law and in Central America, if they try to come here illegally the government will send them back. Reporter and tonight the white house isnt commenting as the obamas celebrate the Christmas Holiday and visit troops based here in hawaii. Officials from Homeland Security called this part of normal operations for recent Border Crossers who do not qualify for asylum in the u. S. Thomas. Nbcs Kelly Odonnell reporting from a pictureesque honolulu. Kelly, thank you. More than three decades since the worldwide hostage drama in iran. The americans held captive and finally won millions of dollars in restitution. By congress and signed into law by the president. Each of the 53 hostages or their estates will receive up to 4. 4 million in compensation for the ordeal which lasted 444 days. Victims of terrorist attacks such as the 1998 u. S. Embassy bombings in east africa will also be eligible for benefits. One of the topics likely being discussed this week as families get together is the threat of terrorism after what weve seen late this year in San Bernardino and paris. Tonight we have an inside look at the ring leader of the paris attacks who made a name for himself by documenting his reign of terror inside of syria. We have rarely seen images and videos that might tell us something about the future of isis. Reporter this is a terror. Photos and videos belonging to abaaoud, the ringleader of the paris attacks. You could clearly recognize him here in the middle. I would say at least three quarters of the material you showed me is new to me. For experts and officials that have reviewed the images, they offer a rare inside glimpse into the life of a terrorist. The material is extremely interesting. And it is important because it gives us an insight about what life is about in the land of isis. Reporter the photos and videos which first surfaced in 2014 show him recording horrific scenes of death and brutality, joking about beheadings and posing like any other 20something. The fact he is taking selfies and doing videos is the ultimate self glorification. Making himself a made man. Reporter syrian prodemocracy activists secretly got their hands on the material. One who calls himself ali appeared on condition his true concealed. When you saw the pictures of the paris ringleaders images on news channels around the world, a bulb went off and you said, ive seen this guy before. Yes, exactly. Reporter he was able to commit atrocities, hone his combat skills and plan terror attacks unscathed. He is seen wearing a gopro camera to further document his rein of terror. He was from belgium and able to travel in and out of syria several times exploiting europes porous borders and lack of intelligence sharing. How come he was not arrested . He was not identified. This, of course, leading to the big failures of intelligence. Reporter those intelligence failures are there for all to see in the video clips. His associates have seen trying to recruit for isis. Were shown on television in europe ten months before the paris attacks. And authorities were still unable to catch him. The fact that his face was in public view all over europe and he was still able to move is just incredible. Thomas, the concern among western Security Officials remains the number of european and american passport holders who are fighting in syria and could slip below the radar return to europe and the United States while planning their attacks. Thomas. Nbcs ayman mohyeldin. Thank you. Still ahead on this christmas night, the drone revolution in america. One of the most popular gifts this holiday season. Wait until you see some of the amazing ways they changing how so many people live and work. Also, a milestone so exciting, packed crowds just cant get enough. Something we thought you would get a kick stay with us. By some estimates, up to a million americans woke up this morning to find a drone under the tree for christmas. One of the most popular gifts, and that has the government worried about crowded skies and close calls with planes, which is why all of those drones are now required to be registered with the faa. But the drone revolution taking place in this country isnt just for personal use. Unmanned aircraft are revolutionizing business and improving safety and changing the way we see our world. Costello reports, the pace of change is catching many by surprise. Reporter ski season was still weeks away in vermont, this fall. When the annual lift inspection came in the form of a flyby. Air sharks snapping photos and shooting video of the pulleys and cables that will carry 150,000 skiers this winter. Then a closeup look at a nearby wind farm looking for cracks in the turbines. The beauty is that now we dont need to send somebody up there to just check on it. A big improvement in safety and a cost saving approaching 90 . Nationwide, this is the year drones have gone from gimmick to revolutionary to indispensable. Providing instant aerial recon of a farmers crops. Surveying commercial measuring the shrinking arctic ice pack and surveying off shore oil rigs. And among the most popular, commercial real estate and film and photography. The faa has issued more than 2100 exceptions for commercial drone use. In maryland kevin has invested in a drone and hd cameras to help realtors market their homes on the internet. We are sitting here on a 50acre farm and you cant capture that with a photograph. Reporter the business of drones is taking off. California leads the country with the most operators, followed by florida and texas. In marion, texas, usaa insurance is testing drones, hoping inspectors wont have to spend 45 minutes looking at roof damage. With a oneminute flight time to gather the data, maybe 15 to 20 minutes. Reporter the drone revolution is about speed and safety and spectacular imagery. From weddings and ski vacations to Mountain Bike races. And science too. And researchers have been scrutinizing overhead views of endangered killer whales nursing young off seattle. View of the planet we share. Tom costello, nbc news, westminster, maryland. Up next, the new hollywood thriller taking on the nfl over all of those hard hits players on the field. If rudolph, with his nose so bright, wasnt enough to light the way, santa claus had plenty of help from the moon. A rare full moon on christmas. The first since 1977. The next christmas full moon wont happen until the year 2034. A big new movie is hitting theaters this is Christmas Day and the nfl is taking notice. Because it is all about concussions. The longterm dangers of the hard hits to the head and the doctor who made a startling discovery. Nbcs blake mccoy has our report. Reporter a true story now told on the big screen about a doctor who took on the nfl. I want to solve the problem. Who are you . Deny my work. Your men continue to die. Reporter will smith plays a medical examiner in pittsburgh who became the first to discover in Football Players, cte, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Repeated blows to the head causing serious longterm brain damage. A discovery getting new national attention. It is impacting so many nfl players. I think it is over 90 of all professional Football Players. There has not been a brain of a professional Football Player examined that did not show cte. Football player mike webster was the first of so many, including junior seau and the late frank gifford. Their cte discovered in autopsies after death. This week the federal government announced a 16 million effort to identify cte in living patients. You cant really understand the risk people die. As the movie concussion adds to growing concerns about football, the nfl welcomes the discussion. Quote, the nfl has made numerous changes to the game to enhance Player Health and safety at all levels of football. They are also funding their own research and developing better protective equipment. Moviegoers drawing their on conclusions this afternoon. This movie has changed my perception as far as football is concerned and understanding just how how much these guys go through. An unflattering spotlight on americas favorite sport. Blake mccoy, nbc news, los angeles. When we come back, behind the scenes with perhaps the most famous chorus line in a big milestone. Finally tonight, an annual christmas tradition is celebrating 90 years of high kicks and ringing in the season in style. The world famous radio city rockettes perform here at Rockefeller Center and we sent nbcs rehema ellis behind the scenes to see what keeps packed crowds coming back year after year. Reporter it is the looks fresh every time. But the dazzling rockettes are high kicking into a milestone. This year celebrating 90 years as a dance troop. The group was formed in 1925 as the missouri rockettes. When they made it to new york a few years later they were an instant sensation. The ultimate american chorus line, of precision and science. They have such an amazing amount of strength. You could throw any dance style at them and they will do it. They are so wellversed in every different style. Reporter each year about a thousand try out for the show. Only a handful make it. Height between 56 and 510 1 2. And once they are in, they stay in. This is my 13th christmas and it gets better and better every year. That is why i work hard every single year to come back. Known for the inline kicks, the rockettes reveal a secret. Look closely. That we touch. But we dont touch. We hold our own. And we have to be Strong Enough to do so because we do over 300 kicks in one show. With the sparkling kicks, the rockettes, 90 years in the making, living up to their name. Rehema ellis, nbc news, new york. 90 years and we hope for another 90 more. That will do it for us on this christmas night. Im Thomas Roberts in for lester holt. For all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching. Merry christmas and good night. Reed live at 6 00, a rare, White Christmas in southern nevada. Snow on the valley for, not just on mount charleston. Making sure you stay safe and warm. Christine a North Las VegasValley Family facing the Christmas Holiday without a home. News 3 is live on the scene. Reed the men and women who honor the country with their service. That is not the only story we have on holiday. Thanks for watching, everybody. News 3 live at the clock arts right now. Announcer this is news 3. Christine now at 6 00, snow yes, you heard right. That white stuff covering southern nevada, some of you waking up to a White Christmas. Reed a trace of snow recorded at mccarran airport. You are seeing video of mount charleston. Speaking of the valley, that was the last time we had a record of snow on christmas since about 2008. Several inches falling here and