BUMMER AT THE BOX OFFICE.
>>> THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS"
WITH JOSE DIAZ-BALART.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS GETTING
OFF TO AN HISTORIC START.
THE TSA SAYS IT’S SCREENED
NEARLY THREE MILLION PEOPLE
YESTERDAY, THAT’S A RECORD.
AND ON THE ROADS, AAA SAYS 38
MILLION PEOPLE ARE SET TO DRIVE
DURING THIS THREE-DAY WEEKEND.
BUT THE REAL CURVE BALL, FOR
HALF THE COUNTRY IT’S THE
WEATHER.
22 MILLION PEOPLE ARE UNDER
THREAT OF STRONG TORNADOES,
DAMAGING WINDS, AND LARGE HAIL
ACROSS THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY.
THAT NUMBER WILL DOUBLE
TOMORROW.
AND AS WE COME ON THE AIR, MORE
THAN FOUR MILLION PEOPLE ARE
UNDER TORNADO ALERTS FROM TEXAS
TO KANSAS THAT COULD BRING 80
MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS, EVEN
DVD-SIZED HAIL.
PRISCILLA THOMPSON STARTS US OFF
IN OKLAHOMA CITY WHICH COULD BE
IN FOR A ROUGH NIGHT.
>> Reporter: THE GREAT AMERICAN
GETWAYS, IS IN FULL SWING
TONIGHT AND SHATTERING RECORDS.
>> I THINK IT’S AFTER 5:00 P.M.
>> Reporter: THE TSA REPORTING
THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PASSENGERS
EVER SCREENED IN A SINGLE DAY
FRIDAY, ALMOST THREE MILLION
ACROSS THE U.S.
AND IT’S NOT JUST THE SKIES THAT
ARE JAM-PACKED.
>> TRAFFIC HAS BEEN REALLY BAD.
IT’S BACKED UP, AND IT’S TAKING
US A LONG TIME TO GET THERE.
>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO AAA,
MORE THAN 38 MILLION ARE
EXPECTED BEHIND THE WHEEL THIS
HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
>> IT’S BEEN REALLY BAD
HONESTLY.
>> THREE CARS ON FIRE --
>> Reporter: THIS FIERY CRASH
INSIDE A BOSTON TUNNEL SENT
DRIVERS RUNNING OUT ON FOOT,
BACKING UP TRAFFIC FRIDAY JUST
AS SOME VACATIONERS WERE LEAVING
TOWN.
AND THE HOTTEST DESTINATION FOR
THE 44 MILLION TRAVELING --
BEACHES.
>> SO NICE TO FEEL THE SUN ON
YOUR SKIN.
>> Reporter: BUT IT COULD BE
DANGEROUSLY HOT IN PLACES LIKE
TEXAS WHERE SEVEN MILLION ARE
UNDER HEAT ALERTS WITH TEMPS
EXPECTED TO SOAR INTO THE TRIPLE
DIGITS.
AND THE OUTLOOK IS NOT SUNNY
EVERYWHERE.
>> NOT A QUESTION OF IF WE’RE
GOING TO SEE TORNADOES, IT’S A
QUESTION OF WHEN WE’RE GOING TO
SEE TORNADOES.
>> Reporter: 22 MILLION FROM
TEXAS TO ILLINOIS ARE IN THE
BULL’S-EYE FOR GIANT HAIL, HIGH
WINDS, AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY
TORNADOES.
>> WHOA, MAN.
>> Reporter: RESIDENTS IN
OKLAHOMA STILL RECOVERING FROM
26 REPORTED TORNADOES THIS MONTH
INCLUDING NINE IN THE LAST WEEK
ALONE.
NOW BRACING FOR MORE.
>> SEEMS LIKE WE’VE HAD
DEFINITELY SOME LATE NIGHTS,
STAYING UP WATCHING THE RADAR
FOR HOURS AT A TIME.
BUT YEAH, WE’RE READY FOR IT.
>> Reporter: DO YOU FEEL LIKE
TONIGHT WILL BE ANOTHER ONE OF
THOSE NIGHTS?
>> I THINK SO.
>> Reporter: A NATIONWIDE
PATTERN OF UNRELENTING SPRING
STORMS NOW PROVING TO BE A DARK
CLOUD AS MILLIONS TAKE TO THE
ROADS AND SKIES TO KICK OFF THE
UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER.
>> PRISCILLA JOINS ME FROM
OKLAHOMA CITY.
THAT REGION BRACING FOR WHAT
COULD BE A TOUGH NIGHT.
>> Reporter: YEAH, JOSE.
WE’RE ALREADY SEEING SIGNIFICANT
STORMS IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA
WITH THAT SYSTEM HEADED RIGHT
THIS WAY.
ALREADY A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN