breaking news tonight, the historic winter storm sweeping coast to coast as we come on the air. tens of millions under winter alerts in 29 states from california all the way up to maine. up to two feet of snow and ice pounding the midwest. a rare blizzard warning near los angeles. danger on the roads and thousands of flights canceled or delayed, and where is it headed next? al roker times it out for us. also tonight president biden's warning in poland to vladimir putin saying russia made a, quote, big mistake by suspending a key nuclear treaty with the u.s.

richard engel is in ukraine as the country prepares to mark one year of war. reports tonight that donald trump's daughter ivanka and son-in-law jared kushner have been subpoenaed by the special counsel investigating january 6th. it comes as mr. trump visits the site of a toxic train derailment in ohio. how he attacked the biden administration's response. will alex murdaugh take the stand at his double murder trial? what his attorneys signaled today. the newly revealed image taken by an american pilot of that chinese spy balloon as it overflew the u.s. and the surprise in space. new images of distant galaxies captured by the webb telescope. why they left scientists stunned. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening. it is massive, it is powerful, it is historic. tonight much of the northern half of the country is feeling at least some of the effects of that coast-to-coast storm with more than 100 million people under

winter alerts, wind alerts or severe weather alerts. blizzard warnings in effect in parts of the north central united states with almost two feet of snow possible in minnesota. snow emergencies are being declared, and as you can imagine, this is causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays, and it's not just this one storm. in southern california, a separate system has sparked a rare blizzard warning in the hills of los angeles county. yes, los angeles, while in the south record warm temperatures are possible through tomorrow. all this wild winter weather is where we begin tonight with nbc's gabe gutierrez in minneapolis. >> reporter: tonight, that massive winter storm is engulfing much of the country. across minnesota, hundreds of crashes, cars sliding off freeways. travel snarled coast to coast. more than 1,500 u.s. flights canceled. thousands more delayed. >> it looked like

there were like 90% of the flights that are going to cancel, and it's just really eerie. >> reporter: in arizona nearly 300 miles of i-40 closed. stranded semis in wyoming, montana and the dakotas. >> unless you legitimately have a need to be out traveling to stay home and bunker there if you can. >> reporter: state police in wyoming warning of dangerous conditions like this. newly released video showing a trooper narrowly escaping an out-of-control 18-wheeler. in california, high winds knocked out power to more than 100,000 people. a 1-year-old critically injured in santa cruz when a tree fell on its home. >> it was a big team effort, and everyone did the best they could. >> reporter: remarkably, a rare blizzard warning issued for the mountains near l.a. while other states from the mid-atlantic down to florida are seeing record high temperatures. still, 29 states are under winter weather alerts. >> we are preparing for what will likely be an historic snow event. >> reporter: even in

the twin cities, a region used to wicked weather, this snowfall could be among the top ten largest ever. >> i wasn't expecting this. i mean, it's been snowing all winter but not this crazy. >> reporter: today volunteers with meals on wheels delivered extra food to those in need because they expect traveling tomorrow will be too dangerous. >> some people wouldn't have -- be able to eat unless we brought them food. >> reporter: recipient, 76-year-old linda brozack grateful. >> they're the main meals of the day. >> reporter: the second wave of this storm is under way. >> gabe, the wind is starting to pick up where you are. >> reporter: yes, lester, we're about to be in the thick of it and the national weather service is warning that travel throughout much of minnesota will be nearly impossible through tomorrow morning. lester. >> quite a backdrop. gabe, thank you. right to al roker who is tracking this

massive storm. al, what do we need to know? >> lester, 69 million people under some sort of winter weather advisory from the northeast all the way to the california coastline, and we are looking at snow stretching from the rockies across the upper midwest all the way into new england with icy conditions in between. this system will move through thursday pushing blizzard conditions with snow and wind throughout the upper midwest, another round of snow moves into new england, power outage and difficult travel stretching from new england all the way to wisconsin because of ice, upwards of a quarter of an inch and we've got snowfall amounts anywhere from four to six inches, especially in the upper midwest and, lester, record-setting temperatures tomorrow from orlando up to louisville and washington, d.c. lester. >> what a contrast. all in february, al, thanks. in poland president biden reaffirming support for nato countries in the shadow of russia, just two days before the one-year anniversary of the war in ukraine and condemning russia's decision to suspend a key arms control agreement. here's kristen welker.

>> reporter: tonight, wrapping up his whirlwind trip in ukraine and poland, president biden responding forcefully to russian president vladimir putin's dramatic announcement, russia will suspend participation in its last remaining arms control treaty with the u.s. >> big mistake. >> reporter: the pushback coming as president biden helped hold critical talks with key nato allies from eastern europe who see russia's aggression as a potential threat to their own security. the president pledging full support. >> we will defend literally every inch of nato, every inch of nato. >> putin. >> reporter: meanwhile, in moscow today, president putin rallying russians around his war in ukraine about to enter its second year with thousands chanting, "russia." [ crowd chanting ] >> reporter: putin saying, "when we are together, we have no equal." hours earlier top putin official

dmitry medvedev escalating tensions, saying, if the u.s. wants to defeat russia, we have the right to defend ourselves with any weapon including of the nuclear kind. the white house in a statement to nbc news calling the comment as unwarranted as it is irresponsible. and tonight the focus turning to china. putin meeting with beijing's top diplomat who pledged relations between the countries will get even stronger. china already provides critical economic support to russia. the white house warning china may now be considering giving weapons. all of it following those three days of high-stakes american diplomacy. president biden now traveling back to washington after losing his footing briefly while boarding air force one tonight leaving behind a powerful message on the world stage. >> ukraine will never be a victory for russia, never. [ cheers ] >> reporter: the president's challenge now, convincing an increasingly skeptical american public to stay with ukraine.

>> and then, kristen, on top of all this, we're also learning that russia recently tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. >> reporter: lester, that's right. two u.s. officials tell nbc news russia notified the u.s. it was going to conduct that test, which happened before the president's surprise trip to ukraine. those officials believe it failed and was not a threat, still it underscores the tense backdrop here, lester. >> all right, kristen welker in poland, thank you. that determination we heard this week from president biden this week to never give in to russian aggression is also being heard on the battlefields of eastern ukraine. richard engel is there on the front lines tonight. >> reporter: ukrainian troops are digging in to stop a new russian offensive in the east. >> back to the trenches. >> reporter: conditions are atrocious. after a heavy snow last week, temperatures are warming up. the only consolation is all the mud slows russia's advance. lieutenant bogdan is in charge.

we met bogdan a year ago before russian troops invaded. "we won't lose our country. we'll fight them with our bare hands if we have to," he said. since then, bogdan has been at the front. a russian mortar tore through his left side, but after two months in the hospital, it was back to battle. nearly all of his 150 soldiers were killed or injured over the past year, and now the soldiers say russian troops are 800 yards away, and they're just up there? >> yeah. >> and do they have similar trenches to this? >> yes, something like this. >> reporter: but now there's a problem. a russian drone is overhead. >> so there was incoming small "yes, yes" he says. the soldiers fire a rocket-propelled grenade. lieutenant bogdan tells us it's like this every day or worse. why does this war

matter to americans, do you think? >> because it's a war for democracy. ukrainian/russian war is a war of democracy versus russia dictatorship, so it's important. >> reporter: a fight ukrainians say they will take to the end. the head of ukrainian intelligence tonight said that russia's new offensive is of such low quality, that some frontline commanders barely even know it's happening, but he warned that it could get worse as russia is now redoubling efforts to produce ammunition. lester. >> all right, richard engel, thank you. you can see much more of richard's powerful reporting from ukraine, watch "on assignment" this friday at 10:00 eastern on msnbc and streaming on peacock. also developing tonight, new reporting, the special counsel investigating former president trump's actions after the 2020 election has subpoenaed mr. trump's daughter ivanka trump and her husband jared kushner to testify

before a federal grand jury. that's according to "the new york times" citing two people briefed on the matter. and today mr. trump was in ohio visiting the site of that train derailment and toxic chemical release as many residents remain worried about the quality of the air and water. ron allen has the latest. >> reporter: in the heart of east palestine, mike mckim worries how business will be when he opens his new winery next month. the fiery derailment happened just a few blocks away and he fears may have ruined his dream. >> we have a stigma here that we're dirty, and it hurts. it hurts everybody here. >> reporter: like many in this rural community of 4700 people he's grateful for the national attention, though doubtful it will last. today former president trump running for president again visited and slammed the biden administration's response to the disaster in a county that gave mr. trump more than 70% of its votes in 2020. >> we have told you loud and clear, you

are not forgotten. you are not forgotten. >> reporter: east palestine now a political hotspot. tomorrow transportation sector secretary pete buttigieg criticized for not traveling here yet expected to visit with the ntsb set to release its preliminary report on the cause of the derailment. investigators have said they're analyzing security camera footage of the train before the derailment and looking closely at whether there was a mechanical problem with an axle. meanwhile, jan douglas keeps her focus on her family farm. >> it's my job to take care of it, and i'm doing the best i can. >> reporter: douglas fled to escape the smoke from the controlled burnoff of hazardous chemicals and now awaits more test results on her soil and water and hopes to plant her soybeans and corn soon. >> i trust science. i know some science, and so we'll see where that takes us, and we'll make decisions accordingly. >> reporter: despite all the emotion and anxiety here, officials continue to emphasize that constant testing shows the air and water are

safe. lester. >> ron allen, thank you. there's breaking news out of florida where authorities say one person has been detained after multiple people were shot at a street near orlando. the sheriff's office says it happened at the same location as another shooting earlier in the day that left a woman in her 20s dead. several people have been taken to the hospital. their conditions unknown. we'll turn now to one of the central questions in the alex murdaugh trial. will murdaugh testify in his own defense? murdaugh's legal team telling nbc news today they are considering calling him to the stand tomorrow. the once prominent south carolina attorney is charged with murdering his wife and youngest son in 2021. in 60 seconds the newly released image showing that chinese spy balloon from up above. and as the housing market cools, why many americans have regrets about the homes they bought at the height of the market. we hope you can stay with us. who are positive for acetylcholine receptor antibodies, it may feel like the world is moving without you.

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image of that chinese spy balloon shot down earlier this month. this photo taken from a military u2 spy plane as the pilot tracked it over the central u.s. the spy balloon flew across the country before it was shot down off the east coast and was later recovered by the military. next to a major shift in the housing market. as home sales continue to fall, buyers may find themselves with more bargaining power but as zinhle essamuah reports, for some the change is coming too late. >> reporter: the once white hot housing market is continuing to cool. sales in january were down more than 36% compared to last year. the 12th straight month sales of existing homes declined. >> sorry. i think the doorbell has been broken for awhile. >> reporter: kate fox bought her first home in march 2021. now she's feeling buyer's remorse. fox submitted an offer on the bungalow in santa rosa, california, the same day she saw it. she says she chose to waive the home

inspection because she was comfortable with a recent inspection provided by the sellers. but when she moved in -- >> the hot water kept cutting off. the first big rain, the paint on the mantle started bubbling because there's a water leak. >> reporter: during the pandemic's ultra competitive market, some home buyers felt they had no choice but to waive inspection. >> the high competition, the rising prices, the low inventory and this extreme time pressure, you just had a lot of home buyers who ended up in a home that may have been less than ideal. >> reporter: one survey found 75% of people who bought houses in the last two years now have at least one regret about their new homes. today with the market potentially bottoming out, home buyers may be regaining bargaining power, but that won't help fox. do you regret buying this house? >> i regret feeling the pressure of having to buy the house, and then also i regret not knowing what i didn't know. >> reporter: she

doesn't know if an inspection would have caught the issues, but she's now budgeting to renovate, committed to making her new house a home. zinhle essamuah, nbc news, santa rosa, california. we've got more to tell you about up next, the remarkable images from the james webb space telescope. revealing ancient distant galaxies. and is america about to embrace the four-day workweek? what companies and workers have to say. 'cause i have asthma. and i have depression. i have diabetes. and i struggle with my weight. for us, covid is a whole different ballgame. in fact, you could be one of almost 200 million americans with a high risk factor that makes covid... even riskier. which is why you need to be ready, and have a plan. other risk factors including heart disease or being inactive... even being over 50 or being a smoker can put you at serious risk.

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images in tonight from the james webb space telescope revealing what's believed to be six massive ancient galaxies dating back to within 600 million years of the big bang. scientists say the sheer size of the galaxies is making them rethink their theories about the dawn of the universe. meantime, back here on earth, it's long been a dream for many american workers. now a new study appears to be making a great case for a four-day workweek. tom costello explains. >> reporter: put away the laptops and the hard hats, the american workweek may be headed for the most profound change in nearly 100 years. with more companies shifting from a five-day week to four. >> it's been life-changing. really it's been a wonderful experience. >> reporter: crowd funding platform kickstarter went from five to four days last year hoping to offer a better work/life balance and retain valuable employees. surprise, the company says productivity

increased. employees better rested and more engaged. >> people are going to spend time with their families and spend time doing things they love and they're happier at work and better at work as a result. >> reporter: similar findings from a large study involving 61 british companies that went to four-day, 32-hour weeks last year, 92% say they're sticking with four days. 71% reported employees were less stressed and burnt out. most saying they're better able to balance home and family commitments while company revenues actually increased by 35% on average. researchers say the flex hours that came with the pandemic accelerated the paradigm shift with many employees, not just white collar workers, getting more free time, and now 15% say no amount of money will convince them to go back to five days. >> in the united states we got a five-day workweek in the 1930s, and the pandemic really accelerated the thinking. it sort of opened employers' eyes to the

idea that they could put in an innovation like this. >> reporter: some have been slow to embrace the change, some concerned customer service will suffer because once you go to four days, it's hard to ask employees to work five. tom costello, nbc news, washington. coming up, faced with a rare diagnosis, the chance encounter that led to her lifesaving treatment, "inspiring america" is next. only thing i have going. that's why my doctor and i chose kesimpta. kesimpta is different. it's the only b-cell treatment for rms i can take at home once a month. kesimpta was proven superior at reducing the rate of relapses, active lesions and slowing disability progression vs aubagio. for me, a once-monthly treatment just works for my schedule. don't take kesimpta if you have hepatitis b, and tell your doctor if you have had it, as it could come back. kesimpta can cause serious side effects, including infections. while no cases of pml were reported in rms clinical trials, it could happen.

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the young mother who received a devastating diagnosis, but then a twist of fate helped save her life. here's maggie vespa. >> reporter: two years ago, 28-year-old nicole haight was working full time painting houses and raising four kids in rural illinois when symptoms struck. >> i started having headaches, like quite a bit, and then i started having a whooshing sound in my ear, just gave me migraines. i'd be vomiting all day. >> reporter: an mri revealed a rare dire diagnosis. an arteriovenous malformation or avm. >> so, it's tangled blood vessels. it's like a bunch of christmas lights all tangled together and wrapped up. >> reporter: nicole's a ticking time bomb for a possible stroke. she saw doctor after doctor, seven deeming it inoperable. >> my one son asked if i would be with their grandpa shawn because my dad had died a couple of years

ago. >> reporter: reality hit hard. nicole wrote notes to those she feared leaving behind. >> if you're reading this now, i have gone to heaven with grandpa shawn. when you need me, watch for signs, feel your heart, and i am there with you. >> reporter: then a promise. >> mommy is going to get the help she needs. >> reporter: one day at work a conversation overheard by a customer who against all odds could help. >> her son was learning under patel in boston. i mean, it just gives me chills. >> reporter: patel is neurosurgeon dr. nirav patel, a global expert on avm's at boston's brigham and young women's hospital, one of few worldwide capable of operating on cases this severe. >> she was very forward, very courageous, very brave. >> reporter: knowing flying could be fatal she and mom drove 16 hours to boston. after a 12-hour surgery, nicole's avm was gone for good. a year later cured and

engaged, she's reveling in holidays and vacations she once feared she'd miss. >> people just take so much for granted. we're going to have some real experiences now because i'm ready. >> to like live life. >> uh-huh. yep. >> reporter: maggie vespa, nbc news, stockton, illinois. >> my goodness. remarkable on so many levels. that's "nightly news" for this wednesday. thank you for watching, everyone. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night.