off to the west around parts of the midwest ohio river valley, this rainfall is headed right for our area and most of it will pick up during the overnight time frame and early on saturday morning. so by 8:00 o'clock, mostly cloudy. once again pockets of drizzle light showers. but after midnight you can see some of that heavy rain starts to overtake the area. when you wake up saturday morning, we're looking at wet conditions. heavy rainfall, likely, early on saturday morning and some of that could linger through a part of the day. for tonight hit or miss light showers. grab the jacket, sweaters you might need that umbrella. you might not but the steadier rainfall definitely arrives later tonight. so the bottom line, cloudy and chilly conditions this evening. on and off begun showers. the instead yesterday rain arrives overnight. we'll talk much more about this system and also the entire weekend forecast perhaps you're headed to fall festival, temple homecoming and what about the eagles game on sunday? we have the forecast for all of that coming up iain. >> scott, thank you. of course you can track the rain tonight and any time this weekend. head to our website

myfoxphilly.com and click on the weather tab. >> now torque developing story out of northeast philadelphia. that's where police say they're looking for a man that robbed more than a dozen businesses in that area between august and october. fox 29's jenn for joyce is live from northeast deck that is night with the developing details on the serial robber. jennifer. >> reporter: well, iain, police say they are concerned. he's hit 14 businesses already and he is picking up his pace. committing a robbery at least every four days. police say since august, this big man at least 6 feet tall and heavy set has been on a robbery spree in northeast philadelphia. for the first 11 hits, he is seen on surveillance cameras dressed in a dark hoodie wearing a bandana covering his face. always showing off his gray colored handgun before demanding money and quickly running off. on october 6th the robber made a costume change police say in his last three hits he's sport add grim reaper style robe.

sometimes he has a partner not always, police think he has a get away car because he bolts out of the area. >> he's fast. he's only in the store a minute. he comes right in, give me the money, points the gun at them, sometimes he cocks the gun. when he comes in and some of the earlier jobs. and of course, they do what they're supposed to do. they give him everything he wants and he leaves. >> reporter: police say the robber is targeting businesses that are open late night. convenience stores, diners, bars, pizza shops and beer stores. they don't think he's interested in confrontation. he's been waiting to strike until the stores are free of customers. and police seem to think that this man is working his way down the frankford avenue corridor. if you know anything about him or if you see anything suspicious, call 911. iain? >> all right, jennifer, thank you. happening now in montgomery county, another courtroom surprise from convicted killer demore row as he waits to fine out if he'll get the death penalty for murder of a baby and her grandmother.

fox 29's brad satin live at the montgomery county courthouse in norristown tonight. brad? >> reporter: iain, testimony wrapped up for the day. they'll pick up again early next week. it's not often when a defendant goes to a judge and says, hey, i want the death penalty, but that actually happened at some point early this morning. they got past that. the sentencing phase continued and at times today it got pretty emotional. it was a tough day in the courtroom for the family of 10 month old baby girl and her grandmother murder the two years ago by this man. he was convicted thursday of killing the baby and grandmom in what was a botched attempt to take the child for ransom to pay off some gambling debts. with a guilty verdict the jury must now decide between life in prison or death. but the day began with the man saying no need. he was okay with the death penalty until his attorney talked him out of. >> while he's mentioned at times he doesn't want to fight, that has not been consistent positi position. so my position has been since he's waffled back and forth a little bit we ought to put on

the met geishan evidence and let a jury decide based on all the evidence. >> reporter: he brought witnesses to the stand hoping their testimony would convince jurors to spare his life. talking about an academically intelligent man with a master's degree but one who led a troubled live even attempting suicide. but the testimony seemed overshadowed when prosecutors brought the victim's family members to the stand in support of the death penalty. two brothers testified about the loss of their mother and child. with some of the some in the courtroom crying venna told jurors my baby is no more. i cannot take my baby home to india and speaking of his mom saying she always viced me help someone after this incident i don't know who to trust. it is the saddest thing. >> the testimony from them is heartbreaking in many respects. they've been through so much. it's going to affect people in a dramatic way. >> reporter: now probably worth noting he showed almost no emotion all day today. as a lot of that testimony was going on. he was kind of just looking

down. the question now will he be sentenced to life in prison or death? that remains to be seen. the trial will pick up again on tuesday and likely will go to the jury as well on tuesday. iain? >> brad, thank you. now to the latest on the ebola outbreak. the united states is stepping up its efforts to fight the virus overseas. hundreds of service members are just outside liberia's capitol and monrovia ready to built treatment centers. meantime back home, five airports including newark and jfk are ramping up screening protocols and taking travelers temperatures to prevent an outbreak on u.s. soil. the director of the cdc describes the ebola outbreak in very grim terms. >> i will say that in the 30 years i've been working in public health the only thing like this has been aids, and we have to work now so that this is not the world's next aids. >> some airport workers in new york have walked off the job over concerns of ebola exposure and some lou lawmakers calling for travel ban on west africa altogether.

ebola has killed about 3,800 people globally and the world health organization says that number is growing every day. so hiv called joke about ebola on a flight from philadelphia to pun at a can at a in the dominican republic ends in no laughing matter. >> here the situation. ooh need everybody to sit down. everybody sit down. okay. it's going to look worse than it is. >> the flight crew went into response mode when passenger on u.s. airways light 45 reportedly coughed and yelled i've been to africa. i have ebola. it happened just before the plane touched down. hazmat crews wearing blue protective suits boarded the plane when it landed in pun at a can at a. then he is cored the passenger off the plane for medical tests. medics say did he not have a fever that's a key early symptom of the virus. airport represent tough call the incident a joke of poor taste. >> former mob boss joey merlino back in philadelphia and it's for court visit. the judge is being asked to send him back to prison for violating terms of his supervised release.

our dave schratwieser is live outside the courthouse tonight. dave. >> reporter: iain, former mob boss joey merlino left the courthouse headed to lunch with his lawyer this afternoon. but not before he went a few rounds with reporters out here on the sidewalk. i got to tell you if they're interested the feds are interested in putting him back in prison, it's clear they could be in for a heavy weight fight. former months bob joey merlino return to the federal courthouse in philadelphia for the first time in over a decade with the usual merlino swagger. stopping briefly to say how it felt to be back in philadelphia. >> can't wait to go to the parade. >> skinny joe was back to face a hearing whether esche be sent back to prison for allegedly meeting with mob captain john changlini and convicted felons in florida a violation of his soup arrived release. his attorney argued friday the feds missed the deadline to violate merlino. >> hopefully the judge agrees with me there's no jurisdiction. everybody goes home happy.

we want to be able to go forward and bring that are merlino to justice again. report roar the judge with hell his ruling for now, but when merlino left the courthouse with an enter tour ratch he was mobbed by cameras and reporters. >> joey, he they picking on you at the end of supervised row lease here do you think. what do you think. >> i'm asking you. >> you're smart. >> also at the courthouse was changlini who was seen visiting with merlino at this florida cigar bar. causing the feds to say merlino violated his parole. turns out changlini was there with his wife kathy a possible witness former loon know. >> why would he be here? >> i don't know. you'll have ask mr. clang lien knee that. perhaps he has some interest in the case. >> merlino has been living the good live in florida with his wife and daughter. he reportedly plan to go open restaurant. >> he has an offer of a job in a yet to be opened restaurant. >> i don't think mr. merlino actually worked a job in a very long time if ever. >> reporter: the feds refused to say if merlino was still running the local mob but said this when asked if merlino was still involved with the wise

guys. >> that's the way we consider him, sure. joey merlino might be better spent fighting isis or dealing with the ebola outbreak. >> he can face up to year in prison. no word on when the judge will make a decision in this case. federal prosecutors say they have the evidence to prove their case. ed jacobs says he's prepareed to battle in court. iain. >> dave, thank you. officials in delaware county are trying to figure out what started a fatal fire wednesday night. it happened around 9:30 at the elwyn institute on elwyn road. officials say 38 people were evacuated but one person was unaccounted for. they later found him dead insi inside. he has been identified as 63 year old william myers. a coach under fire coming up local atheist groups crying foul from the side lines. what a football coach is accused of doing right before the big game. >> also, ahead a local woman confronted by her boss. what he's accusing her of doing that has her in trouble with the

police. keith? >> iain, was nick foles season last year a fluke? how could he be so cool and now this year so shaky? find out why his struggles may not be all his fall. that's coming up in sports. >> and coming up in weather, right now ultimate doppler showing light showers across the area. but look at all of the rain off to the west. the timing of this mess coming up and what it means for your weekend plans next.

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>> south philadelphia police want to know if you recognize this man. he's wanted for trying to rob a 47 year old man in packer park last month. police say he walked up behind the victim, punched him in the side of the face and tried to steal his bag. in the 900 block of bigler street. when neighbors heard the victim struggling they came outside to scare off the suspect who got away with nothing. >> a feasterville woman in trouble with her employer and the law. she's accused of stealing $345,000 from her boss. authorities launched an investigation into the actions of 47 year old susan simon son back in august. she work at a business as the secretary and office manager for 15 years. her employer noticed the problem with the money and confronted her. she told her boss she was paying herself for unused vacation ti time. >> authorities say simon son wrote more than 700 checks to herself for more than $345,000. she's now facing 700 counts of forgery as well as theft. a big debate about the separation of church and state

stirring up in lieu one wes delaware where the cape hen low penn school district is under fire for letting a his school football coach join players in prayer after their game. atheist group sent a letter saying the coach commit add constitutional violation by praying with his team. so far no comments from the district. >> the father of a mercer county pre-schooler who died from enterovirus is speaking out. four year old eli waller attended yardville elementary school before he suddenly died last month. another pre-schooler at the same school is also being tested for possible enterovirus infection. the respiratory illness is blamed for eli waller's death. his dad spoke about his son today. >> just an and credible kid. you know, a couple days ago i put out statement and he's like the little puppy dog had just looks, you know, looks at you and wants to make you happy. and that really was eli. >> eli's dad announced the start

of a foundation in eli's memory enterovirus has affected children in more than 20 states and concluding new jersey. >> philadelphia police say thanks to the help from the pub luck they now have suspects in custody with connection with bike thefts in the writ tacony-palmyra house square area. they have two men in custody for the theft of several bicycles from a garage on south 18th street. robert core din ski and john star son they believe he stole several bikes in the drexel university area including one worth about $600. the launch time crowd at reading terminal jamming to jazz as they chowed down this afternoon. the reading terminal jazz group celebrating 30 years of making music playing at its name sake venue reading terminal market. the jazz ensemble has a steady gig playing every month at the market and it seems patrons old and young enjoyed the music the reading terminal original formed back in 1984. >> and rain starting to move into our region. let's take life look outside at old city. you can see there it's starting to set earlier now and chilly

and wet as that rain moves in. how is the weekend shaping up, scott? >> i yap, the weekend to start saturday we're looking at clouds as well as showers for the first part of the day. but then gradual clearing and we'll salvage much of the second half of the upcoming weekend. but look at the satellite and radar right now. we're looking at the cloud cover across the area. pockets of light rainfall more of a nuisance activity taking place right now. in around philadelphia moving into south jersey as well as down the shore. but this isn't the heaviest of the ran fall. so if you're stepping out for your friday evening plans hit or miss showers. but overnight tonight, and early during the day on saturday, look at all of this moisture off to the west. that is headed due east. so we'll watch the clock. drizzle, pockets of showers tonight and then overnight, after midnight really that's when most of the heavy widespread rain approaches the area. here's 4am. south of philadelphia looking at that yellow. that's going to be more intense rainfall. by 8:00 a.m. more of the same.

just really right along the i-95 corridor moving into interior south jersey. what about by noon? leftover showers gradual clearing will start to take place during the afternoon. we'll still keep clouds around by clock but you can see as we move toward the evening, on saturday, looking pretty good. sunday right now, definitely the better of the two weekend days. so cloudy and chilly conditions for your friday evening. a few on and off again showers. before the once again the heaviest rainfall arrives overnight after midnight espie especially. low that is night in the 50. friday the rain will linger as we move overnight into midday on saturday. rainfall totals around an inch before all is said and done. kickoff forecast at the linc for temple homecoming taking on tulsa, leftover shower chance. it's going to be chilly. temperatures around 57 degrees by noon. speaking of chilly, 61 thought for the high temperature today. the normal for this time of year is 69. so well below average.

it was 90 on did's date back in 1939. pretty uniform temperatures right now. mid to upper 50s across the board. we have 55 in pottstown. 58 currently in millville as well as trenton. the tropics trying to heat up a bit. we have a subtropical storm well to the south of bermuda right now maximum sustained winds at 40 miles per hour subtropical it's exhibiting some tropical characteristics but it's not completely a warm core system so that's why it's sub troll cal storm if any likely move toward we are mud today over the neck several days. for us mid 50 toss low 50s. damp, dreary, chilly, scattered showers moving in. the heaviest rainfall overnight first part of the day on saturday. tomorrow, 63 for the high temperature and once again that rainfall lingers through midday. as far as sunday, 65 degrees. looking pretty good for the eagles game as well. but monday, 70 for the high rainfall chances will return. we're looking at mid 70s for highs by tuesday. so warming up then wednesday

showers some pretty gusty thunderstorms could move through and we'll keep things a little unsettled for thursday as well as friday. so looking at that forecast, sunday at the linc we're looking at scattered clouds, cool temperatures, we'll be in the upper 50s so take jacket and a sweater but i think you'll be able to leave the rain gear at home. >> how about that. >> that is good news. >> we got big game sunday night. eagles, giants. >> how you going to break it down, iain. >> at the linc. >> how you going to break the down? got to tackle those dudes and make some plays. if the eagles get to the super bowl this year we'll tell you why they may be more focused on the half time show. first things first. how do they slow down the hottest offense in football this sunday night. what solutions do the eagles have for that giant dilemma they're facing. find out next.

♪ >> you know all week the giants have been talk bowing the eagles zero super bowl rings. well, we'll see if they're still talking sunday night. right? the last three games the giants haven't needed to talk their play speaks for itself averaging 35 points over the last three games. giants oh eagles d app% to be a miss match. how did the birds change that? >> he's in a groove last night

the last couple of week much he's comfortable in the offense and doing a really nice job getting the ball out which makes it hard for to us get to him. >> he's talk bowing eli manning. last year nick foles had 27 touchdowns just two picks. he could do no wrong this year eight touchdowns five pick. some believe he can do no right. one of his teammates there's a lot of fingers to be pointed for the lack of offense but not all at nick. >> everyone knows this is quarterback's league. when you're winning, yeah, i would think so. but it's also a team game and we've got great defense, great special teams. great players surrounding our quarterback on offense. sew so i guess you can say that a little bit but it's also a team game. >> if the flyers lose their next one tomorrow night, is it time to panic according to some may be. if the season ends without the flyers winning it all that would be 40 straight years since their last stanley cup title. after last in it's lost to the devils. the flyers have to get it a w this year.

>> you play games and you win two or you lose two. you have team meetings you want to get better. you lose two in a row you don't want to get too low. you know, and if you win two in a row... >> you can do what? >> boys two men will perform half time of the eagles game sunday half time show people are really talk you about katie perry at this year' super bowl especial physical she does this. this was her last we can on the campus of old miss following their win over alabama. this gives new meaning to the term throwing down. she's not just throwing down she's throwing him back, throwing herself down. all over the place. i mean that's going to be a show. we'll hear her roar i guess. (laughter). >> all right. let's hope the eagles are in the super bowl. >> yeah, yeah. >> might be watching that. exacexactly. that will do it for us here at 6:00. we'll see you back here at tonight at 10:00. have a great night. inside edition is up next. ♪

worst joke ever? he shouted, i have ebola! >> i think the man is an idiot. and ebola panic, why this tv doctor was disinvited from speaking at a college campus. >> it did stun me. then, wall of flames. look, there's a guy running through it. all to save his dogs. >> he we want after the dogs. >> did he make it out alive? >> whoa. and awkward -- >> did you vote for president barack obama? >> deborah: she's running for the u.s. senate but she won't answer this question. >> so no? plus, hey, i'm having a