that's my dad. that's my brother. i want to thank jon epcar and the 8g band. stay safe, get vaccinated. we love you. [ cheers and applause ♪ right now at 11:00, dangerously cold. who will see freezing temperatures and where we could see snow in the bay area by

tomorrow morning. >> and so much snow in the sierra, roads closed and resorts. when will you be able to get to tahoe? no longer ten days, cdc issues a major revision to how long you should quarantine if you get covid. plus -- >> i think you have to fasten your seatbelts for new year's, we're in store for more delays and cancellations. >> the double whammy hitting airlines that could leave you stranded if you're trying to fly. we begin with dangerously cold temperatures. can't see it on live cameras but if you stepped outside, you have felt it. near freezing temperatures across the bay area at this hour. so cold we're seeing snow on local mountaintops. cool time lapse from atop mount

hamilton in the south bay and also snow in the east bay, mount diablo, very unusual. also a chance lower elevations could see a dusting overnight and into tomorrow. meteorologist rob mayeda is tracking it all. snow in the hilltops is not unusual but for some it's exciting. >> and will get colder, perhaps supporting more areas seeing snow. mid-30s around the north bay. wind speed and air temperature gives you a wind chill factor or feels like index. feels like 30 in santa rosa, 33 in napa, and livermore and hayward feeling like mid to upper 30s from the wind. future cast, by tomorrow morning, mount diablo and hamilton, higher peaks in the

north bay, looking for more snow at times. how much more snow and how much colder the overnight lows can get later this week about 12 minutes. >> colder? whoa. got my attention. nbc bay area news' cheryl hurd, you got her attention. it's fun for people but tough on the restaurants depending on outdoor dining. >> reporter: that's true, terry. i've been monitoring the temperature gauge for three hours, when i got here, 45 degrees. right now 41 degrees. it's cold. but that's not preventing people from enjoying the outdoors. it has been a good night to hit the ice in walnut creek. because -- >> it's pretty cold. >> reporter: and people are enjoying it. >> i'm ready, got nice jacket from christmas, i'm good, ready to go. >> reporter: that attitude has been good for business during

this cold snap. there's been a run on wood at ace hardware downtown. >> we brought in a couple extra pallets, so we get 400 bundles on a pallet and gone through one today. >> reporter: some preparing for cold snap, others grabbing coats and going out on the town. main street kitchen and bar restaurant was packed with people dining inside. >> i think people are just really looking forward to normalcy. >> reporter: but these two doctors say it's important to dine outside, even in the cold, because covid-19 and new variant continue to be a concern for them. >> we don't want to get it if we can avoid it. we've gone two years of sacrificing and not doing a lot, and if we can avoid getting it now, then let's continue to be safe. >> reporter: now safety during these cold temperatures is a big

concern for lawmakers in contra costa county. they tell me warm beds are available at some hotels in the county. dial 211 to find out where they are. reporting live in walnut creek, cheryl hurd, nbc bay area news. >> go get yourself warm. thanks very much. people anxious to get to or out of tahoe, highway 50 is back open, steady traffic coming through. route was shut down more than a day because of the snow. cal trans says it's clear but chains are required. i-80 still closed, since saturday. not just clearing snow but had fallen trees, power poles and other debris along the route. sierra community with another cold night, thousands without

power. >> reporter: snow plows hard at work in el dorado county. those not able to leave pollack pines are coming here. the shell gas station gathering supplies for a night without temperature in below freezing temperatures. vital tool for warmth is propane. >> live down the street, walked down here for propane. >> reporter: through feet of snow and ice for 10, 15 minutes, tank in tow. >> bindings, tied around my waist, walked with it. >> reporter: luckily met a man now driving them home. >> all trying to survive, don't want to make it harder on anybody else. >> reporter: headed to homes that look like this. see this driveway left in the dark? walt's home has been without

power since 7:00 this morning behind this wall of snow. on the outside, he's taking matters into his own hands with his snowblower. on the inside -- >> i've got a generator going. you live up here, you got to have generator now. >> reporter: for those who do not or are stocking up, many are parked in dark safeway lot tonight. luckily it's open. others spending night at shell. >> this is the bed i prepared for cold weather. down sleeping bag, long underwear on. >> reporter: 28 hours in van here? >> yeah. >> reporter: trucks trying to leave, having issues even getting out of the driveway and on the road. >> he was stuck for a while. top of his driveway, all the snow knocked in turns to ice. needed help. >> reporter: they spent the day towing people who needed help and feeding those in local

hotels without power. >> i got milk. >> reporter: snapshot of local gas station showing what can happen when community comes together. >> if you can do something, do it, be prepared to help your neighbor. that's what it takes to live up here. >> reporter: question thousands are asking is when will power be back on. it's below freezing and without generators, tough night. pg&e doesn't have updated time line on this. say it's a challenge to get to their equipment to assess all the damage. in plasserville, brittany hope, nbc bay area news. planning a trip to the sierra or know someone who is stuck, we're posting the latest on road closures and chain requirements on nbcbayarea.com and on the nbc bay area app. link on the trending bar on top of the page and information from rob.

covid is causing major problems at airports across the country. live look at sfo, saw 257 delays today and 80 flights canceled. airline tracker website flight aware counts more than 4,000 flights canceled in united states since friday, more than a thousand today alone. airlines blame most on coronavirus, flight crews or support staff tested positive or were exposed and need to quarantine. san jose international and oakland also seeing delays and cancellations. tonight, rewriting the rules. cdc changing recommendations to get people out of isolation quicker after a positive test. nbc bay area's ian cull with the story. >> reporter: new guidance from the cdc, the time to remain in isolation from ten days to five after positive test without symptoms, followed by five days

wearing a mask around others. same if you're vaccinated or not. >> they have essential job, want them back on the job before the ten-day period. >> reporter: last week the cdc cut the time health care workers have to isolate after positive test, but this applies to everyone. if you have symptoms, it's still ten days. comes as cases fuelled by omicron variant skyrocket around the country. 200,000 each day. in south bay, 1,000 first time in more than a year. dr. fauci speaking with those arguing it's due to worker shortages. >> we feel it's safe to do that. if you look at chance of getting transmission in second half of the ten-day period, it's considerably less than the first few days. on balance, if you look at safety of the public and need to have society not disrupted, this was a good choice.

>> despite having huge surge, not seeing run on hospitals at least in bay area. >> reporter: ucsf infectious disease expert peter-chin hong. >> people are worried if you're not testing people before additional five days you have people maybe transmitting. nevertheless, most of the time people think in omicron you're most infectious two days before, three days after. >> reporter: also president biden ensured the nation's governors his administration is ready for the worst of the surge. >> my message is simple, if you need something, say something. >> reporter: but admits to being caught flat-footed ramping up testing before the holidays. >> it's clearly not enough. if we had known, would have gone harder, quicker if we could have.

>> reporter: promises 500 million at-home tests available next month. east bay, new health order for frontline workers. contra costa health services mandating that first responders and workers in homeless shelters provide proof they have a covid booster. takes effect january 10th, requires unboosted workers to get tested weekly. there's still a risk that local hospitals could get overwhelmed as variant spreads so goal is ramp up protection where there's elevated risk. out of san jose county, plane explode after crashing into intersection near el cajon. shot by man who went live on facebook after the crash. plane crashed about 7:00 this evening, clipping power lines in the neighborhood, knocked out power to more than 2,000 homes. investigators believe no one on the ground was hurt, only

fatalities were in the plane, it's unclear how many were on board. second week, jurors deciding the fate of elizabeth holmes gathered to deliberate and left without a verdict. fourth full day of deliberations. judge planned to keep court closed for holidays but told the jury if they wanted to, they could come back. they wanted to. unlocked the doors. made two requests, one about instructions and another asking to relisten to interview holmes did with group of well-heeled theranos investigators. >> what they're doing is trying to refresh their present sense impressions. jury's present sense impression is what they felt, thought, heard and saw when it was presented. >> deliberations continue bright and early tomorrow morning. we're staying on top of that case and when the verdict comes down we'll have live team coverage with legal analysis on

nbc bay area. back in 60 seconds with long lines and lot of frustration. if you're looking for covid test, you're not alone. we'll help you find one. plus, announcement apple made that will mean big changes for shoppers as omicron spreads in big apple and beyond. 11:00, seeing mid-30s and colder ahead in seven-day colder ahead in seven-day forecast, and lowering snow (soft music) hey dad, i'm about to leave. don't forget your hat . good morning. how can i help? i need help connecting with my students. behind every last minute save, ok, that works. and holiday surprise, thank you! a customer service rep is working unseen, making it happen. and at genesys, we're proud to help them help you everyday.

san francisco police need your help looking for this woman, she was missing christmas afternoon from home in lower pacific heights, 5 feet tall, burgundy top. she has medical condition that makes her vulnerable. one question hangs in the air, should the government require vaccines to fly? there's no indication that vaccine mandate is on the way, we heard from dr. fauci on the topic. >> there's been no decision and unlikely will happen in foreseeable future. >> last week president biden said it was considered but recommendation made to him was it was not necessary at that

point. international travelers however must show proof of vaccination and negative covid test to board a u.s.-bound flight. testing sites are jam packed, lines around the block as omicron variant spreads at rapid pace. story from newark. >> reporter: this line to get a covid-19 test from community health in newark stretches around the block. alameda county health care services said if you gathered with others over the holiday weekend or traveled or think you were exposed you should get tested within three to five days. many are worried about the omicron variant, spreading at rocket pace. >> it's so transmissible. there's a lot of confusion about what to do for the holidays. >> reporter: charles says at bay area based city health where he works, demand for test is

through the roof and has been for weeks. >> this is approaching early pandemic levels actually. not quite as bad. fortunately people aren't coming in as sick. >> reporter: city health sites like many others we talked to said they'll take walk-ins for testing if they have room. >> can't guarantee it, give preference to the people with appointments. but we do everything possible. >> reporter: several test providers told us they're trying to add staff to meet the need. in the meantime you may have to do digging to find appointment or be willing to wait. most county web pages have a tool that lets you look up covid-19 testing appointments near you. check that out first. if that doesn't work, check with your doctor or local pharmacy. alyssa goard, nbc bay area news.

microclimate weather alert. one of the largest homeless encampments a mud pit. it's not just wet and cold but cutting them off from the port-a-pottys the city provided. >> in wheelchair, can't make to the outhouses. boyfriend carries me. >> putting that much into the mud, it's very muddy. >> san jose said outreach teams are working to provide tarpz and other supplies to stay warm and dry. a lot of rain here, snow in the sierra. problems up there but good news. uc berkeley's snow lab says the sierra got more than 16 feet of snow. breaks record in 1970 but we need more to make dent in the drought. >> 66% of entire snowfall

season. at this point we need another ten feet of snow to get up to where we would have average snow pack season. after that point, then it can all go towards relieving the drought. >> dr. schwartz says they've been getting mixture of powdery snow which is great for the ski resorts, can cause problems on the road. it's mixed bag. resorts loving it, not everyone is, but there it is, and more coming. >> and one-third of the summer water reserves coming from sierra snow pack. good to see the numbers going up. 22 degrees at south lake tahoe, the sierra snow pack from 15% of average to 153% of statewide average. april 1st still in 50 to 60%

range. light to moderate snow at times through wednesday. will have better weather conditions and get more roadways open. winter storm warning should drop early tomorrow morning. thursday to saturday, mostly dry, better conditions for the sierra to dig out. winter blast of our own right now. cooling quickly. 44 in san jose, even san francisco down to 44. and dublin, 41. tri-valley, look to mount diablo north or the hills south of livermore in morning hours tomorrow, will be likely suspects to see a little bit of snow for the morning. temperatures outside are mid-30s. add in wind, term we'll use a lot over next days is wind chill. air temperature plus wind speed. feels like low 30s in santa rosa and fairfield, and later on may feel like 20s outside. trending colder.

morning, mid-30s across the inland valleys as snow sets up across the higher peaks. highs in low 40s, you'll feel wind chill index during the days. 41 in napa, 48 in san jose, 48 around san francisco. interesting to watch the snow coming down on the coast. rain in eureka, not far from the coast see how cold the air. is that's next batch going to drop to the bay area. tomorrow morning, higher hills of the north bay, mount diablo to mount hamilton, 3:00 a.m. to about lunchtime. after that more ocean air in, and snow levels come up a little bit. not a lot of moisture. rain totals less than quarter inch between now and 11:00 tomorrow night. areas most likely to find snow, north bay, higher hills, diablo

range, mount hamilton. rain more widespread wednesday morning, then skies clear into thursday and dry pattern setting up for the weekend. san francisco, 39, if we manage that for new year's day would be coldest since 2017 for san francisco. haven't seen 30-degree temperatures. for the valleys, likely 20s and 30s for lows in the weekend. snow chances go away after wednesday, start the weekend dry, then more heavy sierra snow and rain coming back next week. back to you. >> thanks a lot. happening now, highway 1 is shut down in san luis obispo county, a mud slide to blame. crew

warning tonight from health officials by pfizer's covid pill. may not be safe for everyone. could cause a serious reaction taken with prescriptions like statins, blood thinners and some antidepressants. doesn't recommend pill for severe kidney or liver disease

patients. fda authorized it for mild to moderate covid in people as young as 12 with underlying conditions that raise risk of hospitalization or death from covid-19. apple is once again closing stores to the public in new york city, as the city's covid cases are skyrocketing. there is no browsing, in-store activation or genius bar. but can come down to pick up online orders. new york city the only place, closed doors in atlanta, houston and state of new hampshire. for now in the bay area they remain open. pile of space junk is what some are calling elon musk's new spacex satellite. nearly collided with china's space station. china said it had to act quickly to avoid a crash. third time this year. spacex satellite almost hit the space station according to

chinese officials. no response yet from them. soon to be more expensive to cost. from 6 bucks to 7. second of three hikes approved in 2017, approved by voters in 2018. applies to all the bay area bridges except the golden gate bridge. 49ers get bad news about the warriors' heart and soul draymond green will not be playing tomorrow when the team takes on denver at chase center. the latest warrior on the covid protocol list. among four warriors in protocol, jordan poole, moses moody and

damion lee. activated one player from covid protocol today, big player, andrew wiggins, cleared to play tomorrow. san jose state suspended men's basketball, didn't say if they tested positive or were just exposed. teams must have seven players and one coach in order to compete in a game. if they can't be rescheduled, will be ruled no contest. crucial moment in season for 49ers, jimmy garoppolo has suffered injury. coach kyle shanahan said jimmy g missed practice due to right thumb injury, called it a sprain but may be worse. there's only two weeks left in the regular season, it's likely he'll miss.

re-evaluated when the niners are on the cusp of making playoffs. may have to turn to rookie quarterback trey lance for the we are on our second countdown in december. up next, new year's eve. big celebration in new york city is still on. workers are handling the final touches on the 12,000-pound ball that's going to drop in "times" square. this year thankfully will look different, a crowd against gathering to watch the drop. >> we're so ready for '22, leave '21 behind and get something better. >> about 15,000 people are expected in times square, for, far, far fewer than normal.

fun fact, every year workers change out the crystals. this year, 192 waterford crystal triangles on that ball. if anyone asks you trivia question, you know where you got the answer. thanks for joining us, have a great night, take care. tonight, breaking news from the cdc on americans isolating with covid as the omicron variant explodes the cdc now says some americans with covid need to isolate for just five days, half the current guidance what's behind the change it comes as thousands wait for hours to get a covid test the supply chain crisis and what the president has to say about it some states hitting infection records. and more children are hospitalized plus, the nation's strictest private sector vaccine mandate takes effect, and my interview with dr. fauci on all of this chaos in the air as covid and weather take a toll. another thousand flights canceled

many more overseas as airline crews and staff are grounded by covid. passengers are feeling it >> then one of the pilots didn't show up. so we had to deplane. also tonight, blizzard conditions with tens of millions under winter weather alerts more snow and severe windchills on the way. we'll tell you where. on this monday after christmas, it is the race to return with two out of three shoppers planning to send things back where do all those unwanted items wind up america under pressure a critical worker shortage as pharmacies and the potentially dangerous impact on patients. and the show must go on as covid sidelines some of broadway's stars it's the understudies stepping up and inspiring america. this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt. good evening i'm kristin welker in for lester there is late, breaking news ni