health officials say the bay area is in a better spot then many. >> studied to wave goodbye. if you are done with the rain, get ready for the cold. temperatures could be the lowest they have been all year in some spots. >> the cold, winter weather is giving us scenes like this. we are still tracking main fear day ahead. that was gorgeous. good morning, everyone. you are watching abc seven. we want to start with francis to see what the day has in store. francis: we have some cold temperatures near san francisco. wayne is on the way. storm level one coming in the

morning hours but temperatures in the 30's and 40's. the best chances of rain in the bay. some light rain will fall, then spreads around the area into the afternoon. mostly in the 40's with light to moderate snow. it will pick up break on thursday. sue is tracking traffic trouble. sue: sky seven is over this fatal accident. only the right lane is getting through at this point. it happened with a motorcycle and a car this morning. investigators are on scene, but it has caused a major delay.

a big alto. very slow traffic, if you can take 84 up and over towards i-80 . we will check back with the situation in just a few minutes. currently in u.s. hospitals. the average cases in the u.s. caused by the delta variant. break through previous immunity. a flood of data shows a reduced chance of severe illness.

we are seeing some spikes in the bay area. more records are expected to be broken soon. what experts believe this could mean for us. amy: they are trying to keep up with the demand for tests. piper park is one location where they are trying to meet people in their neighborhood. doctors say just wait. it is coming. it is definitely happening. three consecutive days of covid cases. with the omicron variant being so contagious, health officials worry about the disruptions all the positive cases will cause. >> if any -- if an individual

who is infected isolates for 10 days -- we will see more people not being able to come to work. especially concerning would be health care. overwhelmed. they point to high vaccination rates. also the fact that it does not seem to be causing severe illness like other variants. wearing a good mask will be key to weathering this surge. across the country, the cdc has updated its guidelines for those who have tested positive for the virus but do not show any

symptoms. you are being asked to wear a mask consistently. health experts say contagious for long. the omicron explains why bay area buyers are going a step further and closing temporarily. >> i was happy that we made the decision and were not told that we had to close down. he says -- reporter: he says he made the tough decision just as the omicron variant started to spike. >> we al we al we al we al we al employees having a breakthrough covid infection. we did not want any more people getting sick.

reporter: several other byes and restaurants have made the decision to close temporarily. a doris as they will not reopen until owners have a better idea of the spread of the new variant. >> i am hearing how the omicron variant is easily transmitted, especially indoors. reporter: owners and staffs centerview have decided to stay open. >> it would mean the end of the dream. we love what we do and we have to keep fighting. reporter: organizing several large-scale new year's eve parties, including a masquerade ball. there are no plans to cancel because of strict covid protocols. >> these events are still happening on new year's eve, but we are taking all precautions.

new year's eve party, we have 30 to 40 people celebrating and we do not know the status of their vaccination. reporter:er:er:er:er:er:er:er:e: employees during the closure. kumasi: denver, colorado this morning. police are piecing together happened. >> pretty sociable and friendly guy. >> the search for that skier that went missing at northstar. the sister given clues about where he might be. >> flurries are falling with up to two inches of snow possible.

a winter weather advisory is in effect until 10:00 this morning. this holiday season, we want to enjoy the gift of being together. for peace of mind, take the first step in knowing. because it might just be a cold, but you want to be confident. the binaxnow covid-19 antigen self test has the same technology used by doctors and detects multiple variants. so in just 15 minutes, you can test, know, and go. available in stores and online. ♪ ♪

kumasi: still no sign of an experienced skier who disappeared on christmas day. he set out to ski in whiteout conditions. he is an experienced backcountry skier and is believed to have been carrying avalanche gear.

him was at 11:15, saying he was closing up shop and going for a few runs. kumasi: he is described as friendly and outgoing. we are getting very light rain that is measurable through the santa cruz mountains. it is not hitting the ground at this point, but it will, soon. low to mid 40's around the bay. check out los gatos. over the next few hours, fairly dry, but we will start to see some rain chances developing, even some snow. the system, most of it moves

through the bay area, tonight and through tomorrow. snow in the higher elevations. the system will move around and move out tomorrow evening. rain amounts are generally less than half an inch. sue: we are going to go back to sky seven. southbound 101, right near willow road. extensive backup. no estimated time of opening. sky seven is over a fatal motorcycle accident with the three left lanes combed -- cut

off. it looks like some slowing as you approach. >> thank you. christmas eve in oakland muddled by gun violence. the police chief talking about his thoughts going into 2022. and a disturbing alert for

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and three hundred dollars back during our xfinity hello twenty twenty-two sales event! click, call or visit a store today! >> we are back with developing news out of the denver area. a man is dead after taking the lives of at least five people and injuring multiple others, including a police officer. there are multiple crime scenes across the denver area. an officer confronted the suspect at a nearby hotel. the person shot and enjoyed the officer. >> we cannot lose sight of the

victims in this. people still fighting for their lives, including an agent. >> the wounded officer has been in surgery overnight. the status is not clear on the injury of the -- injuries of the other victims. kumasi: oakland's police chief remaining positive. chief armstrong took time to address a number of shooting on christmas eve. in one case, they are looking at a confrontation between police officers, who opened fire on an unarmed man. no one was hurt there. officers responded to 134th homicide of the year. that is along lakeshore avenue and is the highest total more than a decade. >> we continue to work hard to investigate all of these homicides. we have had successful cases charged.

an additional three cases charged this month. our clearance rate is at 47% the year. kumasi: they are looking into multiple armed robberies and carjackings. >> and the north bay, authorities are searching for the suspect accused of stabbing a ride-share driver. the driver took the passenger to the entrance to the park in santa rosa, where the driver was then attacked. he is expected to be ok. they are identifying the suspect as a 19-year-old santa rosa resident. u.s. to call 911, if you see him. kumasi: to other developing news at airports. people are continuing to head home for the holidays and set off for new year's eve. for many it has been a challenge.

there are no delays or cancellations. same thing at the oakland. airlines say that you should check your status before you leave. across the u.s., there are nearly 700 flight cancellations today. covid related staffing shortages are the main reason for the travel woes. >> this is something out of the movie the holiday. a woman is giving up her flat they thrive off of adventure and meeting new people in unique suit -- circumstances. >> it would be amazing. it is just fascinating. it will be great to see that amazing history. >> i get to meet her family and some of her friends and i get to experience what life is like for her.

i think that is the coolest part. >> the swap begins tomorrow. it is an interesting take on a vacation. are they switching jobs? kumasi: no. places, that would be pretty cool. kumasi: i don't know about meeting people's families. that is a lot. [laughter] frances: right now, we can enjoy a little bit of a break from the rain. a live look shows very calm winds. it is beautiful outside right now. cold showers are on the way. we could see some accumulations.

showers continue tomorrow. get ready. dry days ahead, but it will be very cold through the new year's eve weekend. a warning has been extended through tomorrow evening. additional snowfall. three inches of snow today and eight to 20 inches of snow tomorrow. it will be tough getting to and from the sierra. notice still mostly dry. the best chance of showers with the system moving through the bay area. we could see moderate rainfall at times. it will clear out by thursday. some 30's through parts of the north bay. lowes tonight will be very cold as well.

low 40's. things will get very cold in the valley. we will be below freezing friday and saturday morning. those are the warmest days but only in the 50's. we can dry out, but it will be very cold in the mornings. drive-thru the weekend before our next chance of rain arrives on monday. nice here. the cdc is announcing new guidelines for quarantining, for

people who test positive and are exposed to covid. latest. also ahead, major winter storms and the relentless pattern. that cold arctic air dropping in. avalanche warnings is a big deal as well. i am checking it. teenagers watching videos, then self diagnosing themselves with rare mental health issues. what parents need to know. rising prices at the supermarket. some tips and tricks for combating inflation. eggs, milk, cookies, chocolate cake. all of it. we will give you some tips on how to save money. it is all coming up, plus much more.

kumasi:

julian: a troubling trend on tiktok could lead teenagers to believe they have a serious disorder. they are taking quizzes through the app that reportedly gives them results that indicate that they might be seeing -- suffering from serious health problems. this is very dangerous. have this disorder. all these different, rare disorders that i have never even heard of before. opposing more than just the

opposing team's defense. andrew higgins will be back after clearing health and safety protocols. the warriors still have other players who are in covid protocols. >> little worse. neither of them crazy. nothing was severe. everyone is goeveryone is goeveo eventually. kumasi: tip-off tonight is at chasten her. liz: -- julian: black panther fans rejoice. the sequel be -- will be released next year. wakonda forever came in number one most anticipated blockbuster in 22.

it is slated to hit theaters next november. disney is the parent company of marvel. kumasi: it made me miss chadwick. julian: it will be hard to figure out the franchise without him. kumasi: more stories headed your way. requiring booster shots for some of their residence. julian: a new year means year ms laws. the things that you need to know for 2022. kumasi: and a new service to

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announcer: building a better bay area. this is abc 7 news. >> that number is going up very fast. julian: now at 6:30, thehehehehe contagious omicron variant causing cases to spike in the bay area. the promising signs for the weeks ahead. kumasi: and looking like an upside down snow globe. residents tell us how it has been, being snowed in. he could see our coldest day in years. julian: and the theme of this year's ball in times square. talking about how they will be doing it down in new orleans. think you for being here with us . it is december 28. now we turn turn turn turn turnn

for a look at the accuweather forecast. rain is finally moving out for a little bit. frances: temporarily, but it is coming back into the forecast. here is a live view. we had a little bit of a break, but we also had extra cloud cover. our best chances of rain for our storm impact level, it is a light system. it will be breezy. temperatures will be on the cool side. we'll even get a chance of snowfall throughout. but we do have some cold mornings ahead. julian: cool looking winter wonderland.

you conceive the national weather service says more snow could fall today, as we have seen happens firstly. the next chance is at an elevation above 3500 feet. kumasi: sticking with our storm watch, it is causing record snowfall. the snow has been so heavy. take a look right now. this is the current outage map this morning. customer dealing with no power all the way far down as yosemite. we are are numbers. nearly 70,000 customers were knocked out yesterday. a dream holiday getaway has turned into a nightmare.

their stay at hotels and vacation homes. others have no choice but to stay in their cars. >> i'm going to walk up so that the you can see that is the snow, up to the top of the doorframe. kumasi: they shut down operations because of safety concerns. some are in search of a hot meal. tourists are waiting to see what will happen. let's get another view. the recent storms have woken a snowfall record in december. 190 three inches have been reported just this month.

the previous record was 1970 with 179 inches. if you are trying to get away to lake tahoe, highway 50 has reopened. chains are required. if you are headed to northstar 26 is open but chains are definitely required. now to the latest in the covid-19 pandemic. starting to see the wave of omicron variant. julian: the high vaccination rate is helping to keep it from getting worse. the the screen, the past week of data, you can see it is nearly vertical and climbing fast. amy is live in the north bay with the records being set in some of our local counties.

amy: sites like this one are in high demand. they are rotating the test sites around to different neighborhoods, opening one each day a week. they are setting records with the results. they had the highest numbe cases every. in san francisco, the numbers are high as well. it is looking like the city will have its highest seven day of positive cases since the pandemic started. the number is still being validated by the department of public health. single day than any other prior day since the start of the pandemic. i think there are reasons to be very concerned.

amy: if your community is not seeing a surge, just wait and expect that you will soon see it in your area. hospitals are not being overwhelmed. they point to the high vaccination rate as a possible explanation. good-quality mask and getting vaccinated will be key to weathering the surge. julian: new guidance is out by the cdc when it comes to shortening the recommended expiration time for those infected with covid-19. those who are asymptomatic only has to i sleep for five days, followed by five days of wearing a mask while around others. they were motivated by research. >> i think that is prudent at a societal level because the vast majority of people feel

perfectly fine five days after a positive test. julian: it is meant to help people safely continue their daily lives. mandating booster shots at-risk workers. the order will take effect on january 10. workers who do not get the booster shot will have to test weekly for covid. kumasi: a rapid test? there is a service that will bring a test and technician to you. all staff are staff are staff ae professionals. it makes a difference as to who will answer your test results. what's doing and at home rapid antigen test, you cannot submit

that to an airline or immigration authorities. it needs to be professionally administered. kumasi: a rapid will cost you $89. if you have any questions about covid-19 vaccines or you need help finding an appointment, you can contact our team. julian: day five of jury deliberations in the trial of elizabeth holmes. kumasi: let's take a live look. the new york stock exchange. an update on the markets, next. julian: sticker shock at the grocery store. the everyday items you will be paying for next year, and how much. frances:

with live doppler 7. we have a lot of cloud cover and even some light rain. we could see some light rain in the east bay. we could see light rain and drops on the camera. expecting cold showers throughout today with some snow on the peaks. the showers will continue tomorrow, then we start to dry out thursday into the weekend, but we will see cold mornings, especially in the north bay valleys. there is a winter until 10:00. it could get up to two inches of snowfall. the winter storm warning in the sierra has been extended through tomorrow night. an additional three inches of snow, but then more snow tomorrow. eight to 20 inches. travel will be difficult through

the sierra, through tomorrow. sue: overall, it is pretty light out there, but the trouble spot has just cleared. on the peninsula near willow road. they just cleared a fatal accident. the flares are still out. chp is escorting the traffic through, but it should be recovering because traffic is relatively light elsewhere. it should recover once the liens are fully open. southbound 101 is reopened. if you want to avoid this backup, it is pretty extensive. we will be back with more on this, the weather and the news, after the break.

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don't let high drive. go safely, california. kumasi: developing news in san diego county. there are no survivors from this small plane crash that slammed into a residential neighborhood. this video was shot of the burning, just moments after it crashed. investigators have not said how many people were on board when the plane went down. no one else was hurt. the plane is registered to an ambulance company. new details this police shooting inside a store that killed a 14-year-old girl in a nearby dressing room. police have released

surveillance video and dramatic video. the suspect can be seen swinging something. one person said it looked like a bike lock. the man started attacking several women. [indiscernible] kumasi: moments later, at least one officer open fire, killing the suspect. she was at the store store store mom, trying on dresses for her birthday. the officer who opened fire has not been identified. he is now on paid administrative leave, pending review. the family of the girl killed will be holding a news conference later this morning. julian: jury deliberations

continue in the elizabeth holmes trial. they did not have any additional questions. a former biotech executive she will be shocked if the jury does not convict. >> if she is found not guilty, that will be a tribute to her personality and ability to stand up in front of the jury and really sound sympathetic. i do not think -- julian: holmes could face up up 20 years on each count, but the average sentence is 21 months. kumasi: in the east bay, a freeze has been ordered on all trials except for those who have already started. jury selection has has suspended until january 24. julian: you are taking a look at

the bay bridge toll plaza. it will get more expensive starting this saturday. the bridge toll will go up to seven dollars, applying to all state owned bridges in the bay area, except for the golden gate. voters approved three gradual toll increases regional measure three. we are just days away days awayy and it means new laws in california, likely to impact you and your family. the state minimum-wage goes up to $15 for businesses with at least 26 employees. the pandemic erathe pandemic era alcoholic drugs to go. area cities doing that.

-- alcoholic drinks to go. kumasi: if you thought grocery store prices were already high, next year, you will not be happy about this. coffee, snacks and macaroni and cheese will be going up in early 2022. when executive saying, nothing is immune to the increases. juice, jell-o, even candace soup i expected to see price increases. this is all an effect of the highest inflation rate we have seen in decades. prices for rental cars are also going up. travelers are seeing higher rates and fewer choices. the average daily rental rate was $81, up 31% from last year. the spread of the omicron variant is urging people to --

one thing that is my job in sectors like management, business and finance. salaries for professional employees is rising at the fastest rate nearly 20 years. 2021 will close with big bonuses and raises in finance, law and tech. with the rise of the variant and growing case rates, they helped to push the s&p 500 to another record high. the 69th record close of the year. shares in airlines and cruise lines took a hit yesterday. let's take a look at the new york stock exchange now. you can see right now that we are up by about 125 points. julian: the next time you place an order with doordash, the ceo might be dropping off your food. they require all nondelivery workers to make at least one

dash for -- a month. an anonymous employee posted on the social media platforms using an expletive, saying this is not what they signed up for. motorola is working on a new version of it mobile phone. the third generation the razor is expected to feature better processing power and more user-friendly interface. they improved on it last year with a better battery life, adding 5g support. kumasi: you could get your daily fill of puppy cuteness at any time. featuring video of cats, and puppies looking for their forever homes.

nearly 10,000 dogs and cats have found new homes. friday celebration is happening. the ball in times square is there and ready to go. julian: the sparkling sphere created by waterford. the ball is made up of many sparkling crystals. the theme this yrshe gt wdo >> it will joinoin harmony and imagination. julian: more of those changes now. will have some elbowroom. it is usually packed in there. kumasi: usually, you would want

the heat because they always look cold. julian: maybe even colder this year. frances: we are checking out live doppler 7 with light rain falling across the east bay. we saw some raindrops. generally, the front of the rainfall will come they do today, through tomorrow. our best chances of scattered showers are in the north bay. during the evening hours, we will see moderate rain. as the system wraps around, scattered showers tapering off. not too much, but generally less than half an inch. it is so cold, we could see snow

on the mountain tops. generally around a quarter to half an inch. only 40's for moonly 40's san francisco, 49. oakland, 48 degrees. dropping into the mid-to upper 30's. low 40's around the bay. the trend will continue over the next few days. those going out on new year's eve. our next chance of rain will show up on monday. kumasi: new year's rock in new year's eve.

we are talking about billy porter. talking about the party on gma. >> we are in the middle of this weird sort of party, but keep your mask on because omicron is right next to you. i do not know. it is a difficult are trying to imbue some hope. laughing. he shared some of his most memorable new year's eve celebrations. he says there will be a wardrobe changes. of course, the best way to watch the festivities is rock in new year's eve with ryan seacrest.

there will be a short break for abc 7 news at 11:00. julian: it is always something. kumasi: he is right i you want to go out and have a good time, but you have sickens your risk and reward. julian: exactly. two years going on, you just have to be cautious and wear your mask. kumasi: up next, seven things that you need to know today. julian: you can watch our newscast live and on a. -- on air -- online. kumasi: outside at 6:54. we will be right back.

this holiday season, we want to enjoy the gift of being together. for peace of mind, take the first step in knowing. because it might just be a cold, but you want to be confident. the binaxnow covid-19 antigen self test has the same technology used by doctors and detects multiple variants. so in just 15 minutes, you can test, know, and go. available in stores and online. ♪ ♪

kumasi: here are the seven things to know this morning. frances: you want to bundle up. we have rain and snow showers through tomorrow. although we dry out thursday into the weekend, it will be very cold during the mornings. temperatures might be dropping below freezing, especially in the valleys. more rain next week. sue: we are following yourg your commute this morning.

recover. looks like you have a little bit of rain on the camera. an early motorcycle accident was fatal. the flares are still out there. drivers are taking precautions. kumasi: highway 50 is back open. julian: covid infections are surging across america. we are at the point where average case counts are higher. kumasi: number five, covid cases are expected to soar. doctors are advising them to get vaccinated to reduce the risk of infection. julian: the cdc has updated its

guidelines. they do not show any symptoms. it is down from 10 days to five days. kumasi: you have to listen to number seven. this is a unique contest from kahlua. it will be rewarding a couple that can go without internet access for 30 evenings straight, starting next month. the prize is $25,000, if you can make it that long. is it really that long? frances: are we supposed to be drinking kahlua during that time? kumasi: we had to drink something, according to what francis just said. i do not think it is that hard. julian: $25,000? hey. sign me up. kumasi: we hope you have a wonderful morning, everyone. we appreciate you spending time with us.

good morning america is next. julian: have a great day. ♪ good morning, america. a big change in the fight against covid. the cdc changing its guidance on isolation times for people infected or exposed to the virus. with the omicron surge putting a major strain on hospitals and businesses, president biden speaking out about the white house testing plan. >> we have to do more. we have to do better. >> as the number of covid cases in children spikes, almost 200,000 testing positive just last week, up about 50% since the beginning of the month. dr. jha joins us live with the latest. stranded after the holidays. more than 600 flights already canceled this morning as omicron sidelines, pilots, flight attendants and other essential staff. frustrations boiling over. a woman attacking an older man