we begin with a micro climate weather alert. you see it there. this is what it looked like this afternoon. the winds responsible for this streak, down the middle of the busy road. one of many reports across the bay area. >> and we have a team of reporters covering the windy and cold conditions. let's begin with jeff ranieri. >> let's take a look now at our 24-hour wind gusts. this illustrates what a lot of us have been dealing with. up to 2,000, 3,000 feet. we've had between 40 and 72 miles an hour. napa, 38, redwood city up to 26. it looks like the wind will hang around into tomorrow, about 10:00 a.m. from right now through 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, the wind advisory, east bay, south bay and peninsula.

we're looking at a sustained wind of 20 to 40 miles an hour. gusts up to 35 to 60 miles per hour. we may still have some power issues. the best chance will be in contra costa, alameda tonight. i want to take you outside with this dry northerly wind. you have to take your jacket out tonight. in san francisco, to 48 as we cross over to midnight. with the wind, it will drop the windchills down to about 40 degrees. it will be near the freezing mark tonight. let's check in on new years eve celebrations. they're ready to go. coats and scarves everywhere

today. nbc bay area joins us live from the ferry building with how the weather is taking a toll. >> good evening. the fireworks are going on regardless. they're expecting 200,000 to 300,000 people out here on the embarcadero. the wind might move the condition of the barge and it will definitely move roof top viewers who can't handle the chill. from the eighth floor terrace, you'll find one of the better fireworks perches in all of san francisco. >> i think it will be. >> he calls at this time million-dollar view. and tonight, he hopes customers take full advantage. >> we'll keep the customers inside. and they're already talking about it with the 30 minutes, head right back in.

>> in the straenlt wind is too much to handle, he has a back-up plan, the lobby. and back-up plans come into play often. >> a little over $300 with tax and everything. >> $300 for going out on the bay? was it your impression for a dock side party? >> going out on the bay with bottomless minimmosas it was original plan. >> very disappointed. yeah. it makes me mad. >> while the captain didn't take out this boat, hornblowers may still go out. in the meantime. >> it's cold. just layer up and you're good to go. >> and maybe the best advice for the city of san francisco is don't think that liquid warmth will help you get you this

night. they tell me people drink a lot and forget how cold it will be and then it hits them. so keep that in mind. >> happy new year to you. >> let's take a live look at "new york times" square. they're not dealing with strong winds. >> it's a cold start to the new year for people sleeping on the streets in the bay area. the city of berkeley has one solution. the old city hall is being used as a shelter. >> reporter: this building is more than 100 years old. why is it vacant? city officials worry that if an earthquake were to happen, they're worried it would collapse. but homeless people are more

concerned about a warm place to sleep than seismic safety. >> i've been home has around two years. >> she was not always afraid of the cold. with the proper clothes and enough blankets, she spent many nights under the stars. last week she suffered a stroke. >> i was in the hospital for christmas. >> now at 68, she doesn't know if she can take another bone chilling night on berkeley's streets. the city is getting creative. they're vacant by day because the city hasn't been able to find the tens of millions of dollars to retrofit. but the first floor becomes a shelter for 29 people like liz. >> they're doing their best. >> it is a bare bones operation. just a heated room and access to

restrooms. >> is there a plan in place? >> there's only one plan. a pretty simple exit. >> as long as they're safe and sound. >> back out here live, we're starting to see some folks come back out here and spend the night. it will be open tonight through wednesday evening because of the expected temperatures. there are some discussions about having more beds. >> if you fire up fireworks, you could get a fine. setting up any type of fire work in san jose is illegal. the public is urged to take pictures or videos of illegal fireworks. then report them online or call

911. if caught, people can be cited for up to $1,000. >> a four-legged officer help police after a hit and run crash. this man, donald jackson, hit a car. he took off and led office orders a short chase. hitting another car and ramming two police cars. the officers finally stopped him but he fought back using a table knife so they used a police dog. the officers stay car he was driving was stolen. >> federal prosecutors weighed in today on whether pge could face criminal charges ov. they were accused of starting the wildfire along with many others the last few years.

they said if their reckless operation or maintenance of it's power lines start a fire, they are liable. they said they are assessing the infrastructure to enhance safety and protect customers from the increasing threat of wildfires. up for the day but down for the year. that's the skrepgs how wall street finished. the dow, s&p and nasdaq all saw gains today but bad numbers in recent months dragged down the totals. it is the worst annual performance since 2008. new years eve is not traditionally a big shopping day but it is today if you're shopping for one thing that

particular, an electric car. this is the last day to take advantage of the $7500 tax credit. scott is live outside the show presume has been busy all day. >> reporter: shoppers have come by all day. they're wooed by a chance to get their hands on the federal tax credit. >> it is busier than usual. >> i still need to tell my wife. yeah, the rebate is attractive. >> reporter: and many who pulled the trigger on a new car. >> i couldn't get my favorite color. so we had to negotiate down to a color we didn't like. because we wanted to get it. >> reporter: the tesla show room and nissan showroom are selling a lot of cars as the new year approaches. if you buy an electric car now,

you still qualify for the 7500 tax credit. the tesla ceo elon musk is tweeting about and it the company itself is reaching out. >> reaching out to say, hey, to let you know, you can come drive the car off the lot. you can get it before the deadline. >> it was to get customers about the enticing rebates. >> but the tax professor says those rebates are about to be trimmed. first for tesla because it sold 200,000 plug-in cars. the number triggers the phaseout of the full tax credit. >> they will have the credit reduced by half. then after six months by half, it goes down half again. six months later, it's gone. >> tesla says they're ready to deliver if these customers are ready to close the deal.

and this would be an unusual way to spend new years eve. if you're in the market for an electric car, the showroom here as well as the tesla dealerships in dublin, burlingame and fremont will stay open. nbc bay area news. >> thank you very much. preparing for the biggest day in college football is transforming. plus, knocking down trees and whipping around the leaves. >> i'll let you know when those winds calm down. i'll let you know where it will drop into the 30s for new years eve. before our very eyes.

it )s being transformed into a large campus for the college football championship game -- one week from tonight at levi )s stadium.

nbc bay area )s laura sambol joins us live from one of the hotspots in san jose. nbc bay area's laura joins us live for one of the more interesting hot spots in the south bay. >> reporter: that's right. i am atop a billboard in down san jose with a couple of super fans. these two have been here since the playoffs began last year. they've been literally living here. today they got their hair done and all gussied up for a new years eve party while the real hard work was going on at the convention center. >> we're making all the things come to life. >> it was transformed into playoff fan central. a 200,000 square foot interactive hot spot for college football fans of all ages.

>> we came down for the super bowl. they're going to bring the kids down to experience it all. >> this will show highlights from the playoff games, heaving the chemson tigers on top. it is the third time these two teams will face off for the title. >> we'll have graphics that represent the team colors and the school songs will be playing in each of the tunnels. >> it will resemble the quad of the campus. a hot meeting spot with live deejays. >> i work here down. it will be really good to see it built. >> reporter: they will take over the discovery park bringing three days of muck to downtown san jose. in all it's taken nearly a year to plan. >> most of the events run friday

through sunday and many are free. and of course it won't cost you a dime. they might even give you a shoutout. >> we want to wish a happy new year to the entire bay area. >> happy new year. reporting live. nbc bay area news. >> we can see the trees falling throughout the bay area. you can see one on the road right there. robert has been trying to keep up with the wind damage. the wend was blowing hard much of the day there. >> hello, yes. at times it is still blustery and i should add, very chilly out there right now. as you've heard, that is a small problem compared to what the wind brought down today. >> it was blowing my jacket off.

>> she said she isn't used to drivers slowing down, much less stopping on this street in fremont. and she was surprised to find out what was causing the traffic tie-up. a harsh tree she's used to seeing every day, blown down by the wind. i went all the way back and i said i have to see it. >> reporter: many said they knew the wind would take its toll. did you think the wind would cause something like this today? >> yes. >> reporter: that seemed to be the case. this tree that blocked the traffic also seemed old with the rotting roots. the same for this one. as well as trees that fell along the sxens in san francisco.

there's always a bright side. the wood carving artist showed up. >> would it be fair to say you welcome a real strong wind? >> well, i want to make sure the trees in front of my house don't come down on my house. >> reporter: it is a reasonable fear just about everywhere. there are a lot of diseased trees that come come down. and as you've heard, the winds caused about 3,000 homes. robert handa, nbc bay area. a lot of wind and downed power lines.

>> it is a good reminder to trim back the limbs from the trees. they do weigh a lot healthier than a healthier limb and that's why they can turn deadlier. >> we want to get you ready for the conditions created by these occasional gusts. if you're heading to san francisco, we know 200,000 people head to san francisco to get a view of the fireworks. you will need jacket. it is not that classic mild weather. midnight, 48. that seems okay, right? you can put on the height jacket. if you're in the inland valleys, little feel a lot colder. the windchill, when it kicks up. it will pull the heat away from your body.

that's what it does. it will feel like the mid this as we ring in 2019. we're averaging about 30-mile-per-hour out of the north and the east. by 1:30 tomorrow, a lot less windy outside. what do we have when we ring in 2019? temperatures in the 50s from the south bay right through the north bay. we're tracking a rain chance as well. the new year means new laws. we'll tell you about one that will impact the future of pet owners. tomorrow california

here's to the stair takers, breakfast makers, step counters, outdoor explorers, faith restorers, appointment keepers, fantastic creatures. farmer's market goers, cholesterol lowerers cell phone silencers. the new lease on lifers, and the positive thinkers. here's to you all that see every day as an opportunity to thrive your way. nation to ban pet shops from selling non-rescued dogs, cats and rabbits. tomorrow california becomes the first state in the nation. >> will it reduce the number of

puppy mills in the state? live in los gatos with the details. >> hi. >> reporter: the idea is to get more pet stores to document out animals for rescues and shelters. something this petco is already doing. >> this is jack. he is 9 months old. >> reporter: jack is looking for his forever home. you can document him through a rescue agency. you will likely see more pet store partnerships like this because of a new state law. starting tomorrow, you can only buy dogs, cats and rabbits in california if they come from rescues or shelters. the new law aims to crack down on puppy mills which the humane society says supplies 99% of dogs to pet stores every year. >> the dogs that you get in pet stores are not going to be coming from the reputable

breeders. they're usually coming from puppy mills. they're not socialized. >> reporter: which is why teresa supports the changes. she says the new law won't have any impact on her store because it doesn't sell animals. but it will impact this store in campbell which sells rablts bred by the owner. the advisory council does not support the law saying it risks jobs and denies californians their choice of pets. robin who raise bulldogs says the law is misguided and predicts it will hurt her bottom line. >> if pet stores would partner with breeders who are like minded, then you'll have healthy dogs. >> petco does not sell its own dogs, cats or rabbits. the general manager welcomes the new law. >> a lot of these organizations are trying so hard to get these

little guys adopted. >> this only applies to pet stores. you can still purchase a pure bred dog or cat from a reputable breeder. >> thank you. and more new laws from drinking straws to paper license plates. new cars no longer have paper license plates. instead, buyers will drive off with numbered temporary plates linked to the dmv data bases. both are good for the 90 days. and restaurants will only provide drinking stars when customers ask for them. it is a way to reduce plastic waste. and all bridges except the golden gate go up to $6. the bay bridge will be $7 during peak commute time. >> up next, preparing for the

ball drop. we'll take you live to times square where they're just two and a half hours of bringing in the new year. >> plus, the government shutdown. the government's new plan to end the stalemate. a drink with friends can turn into two, and a prescription can be stronger than you thought. stop! there are a lot of ways to get a dui. and a lot of ways to go-- text a friend, call a cab, share a ride. whatever you choose to do, go safely, california.

be covered when it does... ...with a health plan through covered california. we offer free expert help choosing the best plan for you. and all of our plans include free preventive care. financial help is available, so check for yourself to see what savings you qualify for. the last day to sign up is january 15th, so don't miss out! because you never know when life... ...will change. get covered today. ...will change. a drink with friends can turn into two, and a prescription can be stronger than you thought. stop! there are a lot of ways to get a dui. and a lot of ways to go-- text a friend, call a cab, share a ride. whatever you choose to do, go safely, california. area, leading to a microclimate weather alert. this is a live look in fremont where the flags are whipping at this hour. right now, windy weather leading to a weather alert. >> you can see the flags are still whipping at this hour.

jeff? >> and it's an on again, off again issue. you see it calm down and then you get a sudden burst. you see what we're looking at is the sustained wind that we're monitoring across the bay area. wind gusts around 20 miles per hour. it is popping up to 17. a wind advisory in effect until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. we still could see wind gusts of 35, maybe up to 50 in those highest peaks, anywhere from 1,000 feet and above. this heavy an impact on tonight and new years eve. we'll show you the temperatures in just a second.

it flows from high pressure to low pressure. we're seeing the wind across california and creating a vacuum effect. so that's why it is windy. tonight, san francisco. 48 degrees. you factor in the winds, it will be in the low 40s. we'll talk about who will be below freezing tomorrow morning. >> thank you. it is chilly for sure but it looks wet in manhattan. still, that's not stopping people the ring in the new year for 2019. >> at least a million people are expected to be in times square. mark, it is raining. you look wet. but the crowd is still there. >> reporter: definitely an understatement. i've been out here seven hours and it has rained every minute of the seven hours and it is

supposed to continue through tonight. even so, there are hundreds of thousands in times square. >> reporter: people are in place to witness firsthand the magical moment. a tradition more than 100 years old still needs rehearsal. tonight, upwards of a million people will witness the real event in times square. >> the whole world is coming here. >> tradition. you see the lights. >> even the threat have rain has not deterred first timers from virginia. >> we're just happy to be here. the new york city police will work to keep other elements from spoiling the party. >> you always think, you don't know what will happen.

>> reporter: police snipers and others will be here. >> it will be one of the best protected events in the entire world. >> reporter: all to make sure one year sxenlds another begins on a festive note. the nypd had to cancel plans to use drones because of the cloud cover. we've had artists like new kid on the block and bastille rehearsing. back to you. happy new year, mark. we hope that everything goes

well. hopefully not getting too soggy. incoming house speaker nancy pelosi said while the president tweets, on twitter, he demanded democrats come back to washington to negotiate the end of the stalemate writing, give us the votes necessary for border security including the wall. nancy pelosi said they will vote thursday to reopen the government through january 30th. except border security. 800,000 federal workers are going without paychecks. so ten days into the shutdown and there have been no negotiations. >> so larry, why so little action? >> you've seen it time and time again. em, she said, back and forth. democrats blaming republicans. trump blaming the democrats.

who knows? the only ones who know now are people like us. the press cares but others don't. the "huffington post" found that one out of ten people felt that they were affected. only 29% according to the polls said, you know, it is a serious issue. of course, it is. when you're talking about the nation as a whole, this doesn't make any traction. >> now a new quarterback is coming in, nancy pelosi. she'll get bill out of house and go to the senate. and then mitch mcconnell will go

to the senate. well, how are you feeling today? and they'll wait. if the white smoke comes out, they'll go along with it. the president on the short term will say no. i'm still pushing for the $5 billion. so yes, there will be a change in the house but it is not likely from what we see now to go a step further. >> so first of all, get it all . >> down stream, it will pick up some momentum, more and more people will be affected. beyond those 800,000 workers, you will see people wanting to go to a national park. it may not be closed but there is no one to watch out. over the next few weeks, there will be pressure building and then we'll to have see who

blames who. where is the public's stand on this? and my guess is that about ten days after the third, you'll begin to see some real movement. because people will say, enough. get something done. given that trump that, i'll take the heat, it's my shutdown, my guess is it will be the democrats are more likely to have their way. >> give it ten days, two weeks. you can only take it so long. then enough. get something done. >> all right. thank you always for your insights. >> happy new year. >> we'll need your insights in 2019 for sure. let's stick with politics. in a deliberately low key

announcement, senator elizabeth warren announced she is running for president in 2020. joined by her husband and her dog bailey, she was outside her massachusetts home. she vowed to work the middle and lower classes. her campaign strategy inkormts grassroots, small donor fundraising. the mother of two jokes, she has a walking mate, referring to the dog. well, taking too many selfies had a doctor's alert on the rise.

a nice pass. oh, wow! >> all the way and lays in it. >> still feeling it. a warning t "selfie" taker in your life. new research shows a growing health problem across a warning tonight for the selfie taker in your life and it could be you. new research shows a growing health problem across the world. it is known as -- selfie wrist. according to the irish medical journal, there have been several cases of carpal tunnel syndrome caused by people taking selfies during physical activities like walking or jumping. it points to the stress caused

by attempting to flex your wrist at the perfect angle. they say it can result in a numbness and tingling sensation. there has been another setback for the alameda team working to clean up the garbage patch. their saddaming mission to collect the tons of plastic debris floating between california is that hawaii. a couple weeks ago, we reported the large boom device was not working properly. they're trying to fix it but it has partially detached from the ship. there is no danger but the ship is returning early to alameda. jeff, a whole preview of tonight? >> no rainfall for us but jacket weather in effect. and we'll have more on the forecast coming up. we are ringing in the new

year but also celebrating a very successful 2018. fighting for our viewers like you. our consumer team is wrappi

up another successful year fighting for people ..and their pocketbooks--ma ybe they )ve even helped you our consumer team is wrapping up another year fighting for people and their pocket books. >> chris is here with a money saving report card of sorts. what i can tell you is we've been asking people to send consumer complaints all year long. and as of today, december 31st, we've responded to 4417 of them. we'll do some math live on tv. that's 368 per month which breaks down to 17 per business day. every workday. we took action throughout 2018 in a major way. battling cases for people all over the map. we've dealt with everything from

a joyriding mechanic to a hospital bill for surgery that never took place. we helped holly and phil and david and april and peter and jeff and daniel right down there as well as hundreds of others. all told in 2018, we helped recover $901,000 for viewers like you. that brings our running tally since our debut in 2016 to more than $2.1 million recovered. this year we have also tackled broader issues. north bay fire victims who lost everything told us they got reduced insurance checks. they turned to us. we highlighted the gap. and we've exposed how hackers are stealing home buyers' entire down payments. our ongoing investigation has revealed how many real estate agents are putting people's savings at risk with unsecured e-mail accounts. our resolution for 2019 a few

hours away, to continue responding. happy new year. >> that's remarkable. truly. 2.1 million? we don't have the confetti machine. we didn't test it. but you deserve it if anyone does. we were both when you came. 2.1 million is incredible for our viewers. thank you so much. if you are feeling lucky, maybe invest in a mega millions ticket to start the new year. the jackpot has jumped to $415 million for tomorrow's drawing. that's the eighth largest jackpot in history. >> oh, man. so do we have time buy tickets? >> and tomorrow, too. >> that would be a great way to start saving. the weather forecast will really get you going.

tonight, into tomorrow, we have conditions out there. due to the winds today. for the north bay, east bay, south bay, and the peninsula. on average, wind gusts 20 to 40. a thousand feet and above, we could have some occasional gusts. thrive to about 16 miles per hour. you have to go 4,000 to 5,000 feet. we're talking about diablo and around st. helena. any kind of power outages, of course, we'll talk about that. in case you've missed it, you're getting ready to head out for the big evening in san francisco. take a look at this forecast.

we're down to 48 degrees at midnight. this is what i mean by never. windchills, when the gusts pick up, it will feel like the low 40s. take the jackets, wear the layers. you won't look ridiculous if you have the hat and gloves and scarf on. once we hit midnight, ringing in the new year, it will feel like the mid 30s. so anything with the family in those inland valleys. tomorrow morning, of course it continues to drop. down to 33 in the south bay. san francisco at 40 and the number one chill here with the average of 38 expected in the north bay. i do see the temperatures warming up tomorrow. we'll have sunshine. less wind for the afternoon. it will be a lot more

comfortable. for the first day of 2019, it will be on the cool side. you'll start with the jacket and finish with the jacket. no big difference. some mid to upper 50s. san francisco with 56 through marina. coming in with 58 in napa and 56 in ukiah. my extended forecast, then by saturday, we're watching the storm. the coastal system, if it stays more offshore, which there are some indications it could, it would lessen the rainfall totals. maybe some chances of rain next monday as well. dry through friday. the chance of rain as we head

into the upcoming weekend. we know people's holiday plans are all over the place so maybe this is week to head to tahoe for you. maybe another one or two feet headed your way. so levi stadium hosted a bowl game today. the highlights and low lights.

here's to the stair takers, breakfast makers, step counters, outdoor explorers, faith restorers, appointment keepers, fantastic creatures. farmer's market goers, cholesterol lowerers cell phone silencers. the new lease on lifers, and the positive thinkers. here's to you all that see every day as an opportunity to thrive your way.

the raiders. they have a new general manager. the team introduced fomer n-f-l network analyst mike mayock today at their alameda headquarters. mayock -- who replaces former some positive news today for the raiders. they introduced mike mayock. he replaces reggie mckenzie. he had a brief time in the nfl but has no front office experience. he is going to work alongside jay gruden. the college football national championship will be divided at levi stadium. >> today more than 30,000 fans were there for the red box bowl. just one touchdown was scored.

>> what we witnessed today, hopefully the exact opposite of what we will see here a week from now when alabama and clemson collide in alabama's national football game. the wind affecting both games didn't steam bother the duck though. they took to the sidelines to root for their school. oregon and michigan state scoreless at halftime. part of the reason, plays like this. not his finest moment from bad to worse when he decides to throw it. but two field goals. dillon mitchell, 28 yards from herbert. oregon leads 7-6. in field goal range again. questionable videography skills

by yours truly. a fake was never the man. the ducks celebrate a 1-point win. >> offense, hard to come by for david shaw's squad in el paso as well. >> the difference maker. 22 carries, 94 yards. a pair of touchdowns. the next chone which will be th game winner. right place, right time. the fumble recovery in the air for the touchdown like oregon. stanford a winner by 1. the number that told the story of the game was 15. that's the amount of combined punts by both teams.

coming up, nasa is making history, a probe in the extreme outer solar system. i'll look at the uncharted world more than 4 billion miles away. one more check on the forecast? >> chilly outside. san francisco going down to 49 degrees at 11:00 p.m. 48 at midnight. the winds, low 40s. getting good gusts to 30 miles an hour. it could feel like the upper 30s. it will feel like the mid 30s. you'll have your jacket tonight. you can see, it will stay in the cold 30s for the inland valleys to start. new years eve fashion, coats, hats, scarves, the whole works. >> thanks for watching nbc bay area news at 6:00. >> we hope to see you back here

at 11:00.

>> now on extra, new year's eve couples news. josh with a new mystery woman and talking babies. blake shelton popping the question tonight. ryan counting us down before the ball drops tonight. from the time's square. >> i love it. >> no bachelor one week to go until the dating games begin. >> i'm looking forward to all the creativity and the nerves. >> how far are these women prepared to go to win his heart? as they get