more people are backing out of contracts they've already signed. and a south bay school district still has a mask mandate in place as the school year begins. how they plan on enforcing it. the news at 6:00 starts right now. good evening and thanks for being with us. i'm raj mathai. >> and i'm audrey asistio. we know that the heat is really on right now, especially in the east bay. temperatures hovering around triple-digits for some places inland. >> as we speak. >> uh-huh. and as temperatures continue to rise, so do the risks that come with high heat. tonight bart has made some changes to help limit that risk for its riders. and so it means it may take you a little longer to get to where you're going. >> let's bring in our chief meteorologist jeff ranieri. i'm looking behind you. i see 104 and 106 right now. >> that's right. and that makes a new record, you guys. hottest weather. >> wow. >> we have seen all year long.

104 there in concord. 106 in livermore that is the new record. last time it was this hot was back in 2015. santa rosa 100. san francisco 71 the official high. widespread temperatures throughout the bay area. let's get you a look at the current temperatures right now. it's still dangerous. we're really going see just a slow drop-off this evening. so if you're out here through some of the inland valleys without air conditioning, again, troeb stay hydrated. san jose going down to 90, but still riding in the low and 100 concord to livermore. and out to the coastline, look at this, half moon bay at 57 degrees. so as we move through tonight, we are looking at this heat advisory. at this point in effect until 8:00 p.m. with those 90s to low 100s, the other thing i'm tracking is the air quality. east bay and south bay is unhealthy. that heat really helps to cook the pollutants or the spare the air day in effect.

coming up, we're going talk about increasing thunderstorm chances. we have a brand-new change to some of this monsoonal moisture right here. i'll let you know what that means for us in about 18 minutes. >> all right, jeff. thank you. as the temperatures continue to rise, so do the risks that come with the high heat, of course. and tonight bart has made some changes to help limit that risk for its riders. but it means it may take you a little longer to get to where you're going. nbc bay area's velena jones is live in concord for us where bart slowed down as temperatures went up. still hot out there? >> you know, you can feel the heat out here even at 6:00. we're still in the triple-digits. the wind is even hot. i just spoke with to a passenger who got off one of the trains, and she says that delay is about 15 to 20 minutes. now bart is delaying their east bay line to avoid a heat-related derailment because those triple-digit temperatures. now you can see some people getting off of bart right now.

meantime, climate expert says we need to start expecting more frequent heatwaves as the planet continues to heat up. >> we're roasting for sure. >> reporter: baking in the bay as thermometers hit 103 in concord, something to think about. the experts say expect warmer temps to be the new normal. >> over the past few years it has increasingly gotten hotter. >> reporter: today as temps spiked, bart slowed trains to 44 miles per hour or less to prevent potential problems in the heat. all part of the agency's new policy after tracks warped in triple-digit heat back in june, triggering a minor derailment. stanford professor noah diffinbaugh, the bottom line, expect more heat more often and all the challenges that come with it. >> whatever the hottest day is, the hottest week is that people have experienced in recent years and decades, we can expect those to be exceeded more frequently. >> reporter: diffenbaugh says even the best efforts to slow

climate change won't be enough to turn the temps back down, and we'll have to adapt to limit the impact. >> even if we achieve the goals that have been set out, such as reaching net zero emissions by 2050, even if that world, that's more global warming than we've already had. and even then we'll need to adapt if we want to be resill resilient to severe heat. >> cal fire says the trend of more heat more often means a nearly year-round fire season that's stretching resources. >> we're adding crews all the time. we're adding more and different kinds of aircraft, larger aircraft. >> now for firefighters, the question is what do we have to do differently to deal with it. >> there is no way we're going to reverse it. it's only going to get worse. we just have to adapt. we have to build -- we have to build resilient communities.

>> reporter: now back here at bart, both the pittsburg and the dublin lines are expected to run at that slower pace until 8:00 tonight. in concord, velena jones for nbc bay area news. >> thank you so much. we encourage you to download our nbc bay area app if you want to have act set to up-to-the-minute forecasts in your neighborhood. okay you. try to buy a house or afford the house you already own. according to a site called realtyhop, 42 of 100 cities researched shows the average american has to dedicate at least 40% of their income to own a home. it also listed the 12 least affordable housing markets in the country. take a look. not many surprises. miami, l.a., new york. san francisco seventh on the list of most least affordable. oakland was 11th. a report also says 66% of a person's income on average goes toward a home in san francisco. 60% is needed for oakland. well, here is something many

people have been waiting for a while, a drop in our housing prices. but have prices fallen enough to really open things up for the average buyer? here is our business and tech reporter scott budman. >> reporter: all right. we know what most people say when they see bay area housing prices. thinking is a lot. a lot of money. >> reporter: but check this out. median home prices in san francisco have fallen by more than $300,000 in three months. ready to buy now? >> absolutely not. >> how come? >> because they don't pay me enough to be able to afford a house. >> reporter: even with the drop? >> even with the drop it's not realistic. yet. >> reporter: she has a point. inflation means mortgage rates are up and prices are still pretty high. zillow senior economist says it's so tough to buy now, prices are likely to fall even further. >> as that's happening, we're seeing sales starting to slip. we're seeing homes kind of stay on the market longer.

inventories being to pool up. and that's going drop prices as demanded, kind of taking a step back, because people just can't afford to be transacting in this market. >> so unless you've got a tech salary and stock options -- >> if you want to live here, you work for google and you work for apple, you know, your paycheck is not going down. >> reporter: the housing picture hasn't actually changed all that much, even if it's a step closer to reasonable. and here is one more thing. some perspective home buyers are getting cold feet. according to red fin, 23% of those who signed a contract to buy a home in northern california backed out of the deal. that's double the number from last year. in san jose, scott budman, nbc bay area news. >> all right, scott, thank you. as kids return to school across the country, most of them will do so without being required to wear a mask in class. but as we've been reporting, that is not the case for kids in

south bay districts. when they walk into the class, masks are required. damian trujillo joins us from alum rock with a look at how the mandate was being received on this first week of school. >> reporter: on the second day of school he is making the rounds, world wide webbing the kindergartners all wearing masks in class. here the mask requirements will stay in place, at least for the next few days. >> we'll revisit that next week as we get the results this week of everybody testing, all students and staff receive rapid home testing kits before school started. >> reporter: franklin-mckinley serves one of the communities hit hardest by covid. so the superintendent says that's reason enough for the precaution. most parents applaud the move. maurits za munoz says masks are a good idea because infection levels are still high. but in alum rock, where masks are also mandatory, maria

alvarado says she's fed up. maria says she is irritated by the mandatory mask rule on this first day of school. the superintendent also says she had no choice, noting she had to fill several classrooms with subs on day one because some of her teachers just tested positive. >> it's still an emergency? >> yes, yeah. it is an emergency. >> reporter: the district says it will monitor the data frequently to decide when it can lift the mandate. >> when there is a fire, when there is an earthquake, we have the authority to implement certain measures to keep people safe. this is no different from that. >> maria says she understands that rationale. and although she hates the mask, she supports the mandate. to keep her children from getting infected, maria says she's all for the requirements. damian trujillo, nbc bay area news. happening now, the polls have closed in the state of

wyoming. closed just a few moments ago. republican congresswoman liz cheney trying to hold on to her job. right now it's too early to call. a lot of people are watching this race around the country because it could indicate a lot of things. representative cheney is expected to lose after going against president trump, voting for his impeachment. the former president backed cheney's main challenger in this race, and his endorsement has carried many republican candidates this primary season. again, this is a big night around the country because of what's happening specifically in wyoming. let's bring in our nbc bay area political analyst larry gerston to weigh in on this. larry, nice to see you. okay, let's just follow the polling here. presuming that liz cheney loses, what does that indicate to you, and what does that mean for her career? is she finished? >> well, certainly it continues to show the kind of grasp, if you will, that former president trump has on states around the country. now wyoming voted more for trump than any other state. 70% of wyoming residents voted

for trump in 2020. he went up there, and he campaigned against cheney. i think you're going to see the results from that effort. not looking very good for her. although the polls have closed recently. we'll see what happens. as for cheney, well, it's interesting to see what happens. she is obviously a force and still a force. she'll remain on the committee, the january 6th committee through the end of the year for certain, because that's as long as this crowd of republicans are in congress. after that, we'll have to see. we'll to see for them. we'll have to see for her. i don't think she is going to go away, raj. she is something who has a lot to say, and she wants to make sure she is heard. >> is she a viable candidate for president or perhaps vice president in 2024? >> well, you never know. things change an awful lot in politics. at the moment, it's hard to imagine that she could get that kind of support among republicans since so much of the republican party has gone over and followed the leadership of

donald trump. an independent candidacy? perhaps, although that kind of thing is likely to do more damage to trump than anything else. not likely for her to win. but, again, you never know. it's early still. it's hard to believe. it's early. we're going have to wait all that out. but she is not about a to go away. >> an influential family, obviously, the cheneys. and it's really significant and fascinating night watching it unfold in wyoming. larry, thank you. as the war in ukraine rages on, it may no longer be on the front page every day, right? but that's not stopping some stanford students from helping ukrainians in a major way. we'll show you how, next. and i'm tracking some updated thunderstorm chances along with that heat. i'm back with that update in less than ten minutes. right now, as we get ready to come on the air in the west, concern shifting to holiday travel later this year after air traffic control staffing delays expose a worrisome soft spot in the system. also, why more schools aren't

cashing in on federal funding for cleaner classroom air, when for cleaner classroom air, when "n see you tonight on californians have a choice

between two initiatives on sports betting. prop 27 generates hundreds of millions every year to permanently fund getting people off the streets a

prop 26? not a dime to solve homelessness prop 27 has strong protections to prevent minors from betting. prop 26? no protections for minors. prop 27 helps every tribe, including disadvantaged tribes. prop 26? nothing for disadvantaged tribes vote yes on 27. while many college students are finishing up their summer vacatios two stanford students are leaving for ukraine this week to provide some desperately needed help. ian cull has their story.

>> reporter: the increasingly horrific images of russia's invasion of ukraine for the past six months has hit two stanford mba students hard in different ways. andre was born and raised in ukraine and now lives in canada. >> it's a very difficult. the word that most often comes to mind is surreal. >> reporter: alex clark is an army veteran from st. louis. >> you know, if i was ukrainian or i was in the situation, how would i deal with that? and how would i want others to help me? >> reporter: the two met at stanford and became fast friends. now they're head fog interest war zone. working with the ukrainian association at stanford, they started project independence day and have raised nearly $100,000 using their backgrounds and connections to find out what supplies will help the most. >> almost within two days of us committing to doing something together, he got a call from his contacts in a front line city roughly 25 to 50 kilometers from the front line. the population is swelling of people who are injured from

combat. and ultimately they said our medical system is buckling. we need support. >> reporter: they bought three ambulances like this one in europe and are flying out this week to pick them up. their team of six will then drive them across the ukrainian border and into the city, andre's hometown, for a doorstep delivery to those trying to save live there's. >> i suspect i'll be involved in volunteering effort for months to come. so it's always good to have your own judgment and your own assessment of the situation on the ground. >> reporter: their goal is to arrive by ukraine's original independence day, august 24th, hoping their efforts will help more people survive to celebrate a new kind of independence some day soon. >> it's symbolism. and symbolism is very important in this war that is so obvious right versus wrong, light versus darkness. >> ian cull, nbc bay area news. >> that is incredible what they're doing.

>> hope they make that delivery safely. it's a long drive. jeff is here talking about our hot weather. just got a text message from a friend visiting town. who says i'm in this beautiful town called danville. restaurants are great but wow, it's hot. >> sweltering. about 105. a proposal for you guys. how would you like some cooling san francisco fog? >> perfect. >> bring it. >> all right. >> and an ice-cold beer. >> now we're getting requests. >> okay. we'll see about that. okay. nothing while you're working. let's get to the microclimate forecast. we are of course under a microclimate alert because of that hot weather. but i did want you to see this. if you're cooking dinner tonight, dom your tv to see this. it's definitely worth it. even on the hot, hot days, the fog usually helps to come in and save us. this is going to help to bring temperatures down a little bit tomorrow here for some of those hottest locations. and also looks pretty beautiful. you can see the golden gate

bridge spires right there. and as we head through tonight, some of those hot inland valleys will still remain in the 90s over the next couple of hours. tomorrow morning, we're also watching some thunderstorms moving close as part of that monsoonal thunderstorm activity we've been tracking on and off for weeks. and temperatures, again, will be dropping. let's get a look at the weather park. it is very dynamic. we have high pressure out here that has been pushing in that record-setting heat for us. monsoonal thunderstorms right over the sierra. so the new update as of tonight, it now looks like it's going to be edging a little closer towards us, giving us a slight chance here of thunderstorms. and we also have the system just offshore at keeping some fog going at the coastline. so was we move it into tomorrow morning's forecast, what i want you to see, some of that monsoonal moisture bubbling up right there. so with the thunderstorm activity outside of napa, near the coast, i am calling for a slight chance. we could see some of that

tomorrow morning mixing in with some fog. also some spotty drizzle at the coastline. and we'll hold on to some of that subtropical flow through the day. so it's going to be a little sticky, some of that humidity in the air. kind of feeling strange out here as you move through your wednesday forecast. temperatures to start, it's going to be mild across the hottest inland valleys. look at this. 71 this the tri-valley. no jacket needed. 68 there through the south bay. san francisco 61 and the north bay coming in at 66. daytime highs tomorrow drop off a few degrees. but look, it's still going to be hot here through the inland valleys. 100 in morgan hill. 95 in san jose. low 100s back here through the inland east bay. out to hayward. 79 san mateo. san francisco, 60 in the marina. 75 in the mission and to the north bay, 94 in santa rosa. 82 in mill valley. we continue to get morning fog, afternoon sunshine in san francisco. and that pattern, that's going bring back 60s in san francisco, will also drop it through the

inland valleys. 95 on friday. and oh, how about that 88 on sunday. raj, hopefully your friend is still here on the weekend. >> he can enjoy the weekend. >> i know it's only tuesday, but man, i'm looking forward to that sunday. >> it's going to be good. >> thanks, jeff. coming up, a south bay homeowner is asking for help as cars continue to crash into his property. look at this. the dangerous spot he finds the dangerous spot he finds himself in and the this is what people with eczema said

about how their skin feels... ...when it comes to our skin, what if it could feel differently? say hello to opzelura for the treatment of mild to moderate eczema. opzelura is a steroid-free cream proven to help clear skin and significantly reduce itch. do not start opzelura if you have any infection as it may lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you are being treated for an infection;... ...have tb or have been in close contact with someone with tb; have had hepatitis b or c. serious lung infections, skin cancer, blood clots, and low blood cell counts have been reported with opzelura. in patients taking jak inhibitors, serious infections, increased risk of death, lymphoma, other cancers, immune system problems, and major cardiovascular events have occured. the most common side effect is pain and swelling

in the nose or throat. it's a one-of-a-kind cream. so, what could that mean for your skin? ask your dermatologist about opzelura. another exposure scare of legionella bacteria, this time in the south bay. right now the spa at the aloft san jose cupertino hotel is closed while crews decontaminate that area. the san jose department of environmental health launched an investigation at that hotel after getting a complaint in early july. a specialist found the presence of legionella in samples taken from the spa. the spa will not reopen until

tests come back clean. the bacteria can lead to legionnaire's disease, a type of pneumonia. the county has reported nine cases so far this year. what is the old phrase, location, location, location. for a homeowner in east san jose, his location has been anything but ideal. he says his property has been hit by cars 23 times. his name is ray minter. he tells us his house on jackson avenue is a target for car accidents. the worst was in 2016 when a speeding truck slammed into his parked car, pushing it into his house. he says the problem started nearly 60 years ago and has not stopped. >> every few years we get a car either tearing up my fence or goes through my house. i've had four cars go through the house, in the kitchen. >> we've got to get him some help here. he says most of the crashes involve cars speeding off the 680 offramp. he has put up barriers including

reinforced poles. the city says changes are in the works, but likely still years away. >> 60 years he has been dealing with that. my goodness. still to come, a beautiful display of color. we'll take you to the neighborhood where a new mural is turning a lot of heads. and let's take a look inside 30 rock. lester holt is preparing for "nightly news." you see him there on the anchor desk. one of the top stories, legal pressures continue to mount for president trump. lester joins us in about three minutes. in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart. efficient. agile. and that's never been more important than it is right now. so for a limited time, comcast business is introducing small business savings. call now to get powerful internet for just 39 dollars a month. with no contract. and a money back guarantee. all on the largest, fastest reliable network. from the company that powers more businesses than anyone else. call and start saving today. comcast business. powering possibilities.

♪♪ at usaa we've been called too exclusive because we only serve those who've honorably served. all ranks. all branches. and their eligible family members. yep, that is exclusive. and we're fine with that. californians have a choice between two initiatives on sports betting. prop 27 generates hundreds of millions every year to permanently fund getting people off the streets a prop 26? not a dime to solve homelessness prop 27 has strong protections to prevent minors from betting.

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this is pretty cool. a burst of color and flavor in the south bay. >> republic urban properties are moving into a new headquarters in willow glen on lincoln avenue. the employees will share the building with a new restaurant, poquita tequila. it's the historic city of san miguel allende. tonight at 7:00, 11 days and still no sign of 16-year-old kiely rodni. she was last seen at a party near tahoe. there is a shift in this investigation. we'll be joined by tonight the new reporting the fbi interviewing former trump white house lawyers about the documents seized the at mar-a-lago former white house counsel pat cipollone and pat philbin,

now the highest ranking trump officials interviewed in the investigation. the news coming as a battle over unsealing the affidavit rages. the doj arguing it would harm the probe. mr. trump saying release it now. also tonight, the high stakes primary will liz cheney, one of the most vocal gop critics against donald trump lose her seat in congress. president biden capping a big win for democrats signing that sweeping climate health care and tax bill. first lady jill biden testing positive for covid while on vacation with the president what we know about her symptoms. the massive explosions rocking another russian military facility in crimea the russians claiming sabotage the growing megadrought in the west now the unprecedented water cuts states are facing. kids under pressure. billions of federal relief money for schools to improve air quality. why haven't more of them used it.