news on nbc bay area at 6:00. >> hope to see you then. take care. on this sunday night, no end in sight. two more feet of snow in areas that have seen unprecedented amounts. behind it, a potentially record breaking cold snap. this as the west coast gets hit with more torrential rain. american sniper trial for the man accused of killing navy seal chris kyle. questions over whether the movie could affect the outcome. great divide. a proposal for the grand canyon. will it ruin the view or offer an experience like no other? and rescue me. hundreds of baby sea lions turning up on california beaches and no one knows why. tonight, what's being done to save them.

good evening. with more than four feet of snow on the ground this winter and another big storm bearing down on new england tonight, the mayor of boston warns they are simply running out of space to put it all. the latest storm is building tonight in an area of upstate new york to southern maine with two feet of snow expected in some places. this yearly onslaught has blown through yearly snow removal budgets and quadrupled the number of snow days. meanwhile, the west is still dealing with flooding from the pineapple express, tropical rains that left some communities under water. al roker is tracking systems tonight. let's start with miguel alma dare outside seattle. miguel good evening. >> reporter: lester, good evening. this town 35 miles outside

seattle was battered by water for three days. this is the road partially washed away, nearby homes flooded, a punishing storm that could dump even more water later tonight. tonight outside brennan, waterfalls are raging, rivers are rushing. the brunt of this storm has just passed. >> each time we have one of these flood events, i need to get this silt off my driveway. >> reporter: for bob and his neighbors, the flood is gone but the damage is not. >> all of this is mud and debris that's come down from the mudslide. >> reporter: landslides shut down roads. surging water broke others to pieces. this is saturday above kelly road, one of the worst storms hank brooks has seen in 30 years. >> it's really bad this. that river went from that road, across this road across the next road 100 feet the other side. >> reporter: the storm that

walloped washington battered much of the west, the so-called pineapple express, inches of rain, deadly wind in oregon and california. >> big trees are not safe around the houses. it's cause for concern. >> reporter: from wind and rain to fire in central california, the wild weather fanned flames in small meadows. 40 homes and buildings destroyed after wind speeds reached 75 miles an hour. out east, it's snow hammering the region. >> i am not happy with it. i'm sick of snow. >> reporter: in portland, maine, another winter white out. >> more snow than i need to deal with. i'm ready to go to florida. >> reporter: this season, boston buried in a record, 55 inches and counting. now with two more feet of snow in the forecast. at logan airport, hundreds of flights already cancelled for tomorrow. >> we've never seen this type of snow in the city of boston any other time in the history of our city. >> reporter: wicked weather hammering both coasts.

rain, wind, fire, snow, a season many will never forget. as they brace in the northeast, they're beginning to clean up here in the west. the good news, while this storm hasn't completely passed, it is beginning to taper off. lester? >> all right, miguel, thanks. for more on what we can expect from this storm in the northeast, we're joined by al roker. hey, al. >> hey lester. the good news is the storm is about over. maybe another inch. there could be a severe thunderstorm watch in california today. here in the northeast, over 49 million people under a winter storm watch or winter weather advisory. as this system pushes toward us, you can see from the great lakes to northeast we're looking at more snow. here's what we see. if the storm continues on this track, we expect to see the snow to really get going tomorrow morning. boston has already picked up five inches of snow. new york and metropolitan area will see an icy mix, causing big problems for the morning rush.

snow continues as the long track event goes through tuesday morning tapering off in boston. snowfall totals generally 3 to 6 inches of snow in new york metro area with ice. boston could see upwards of two feet of snow around the region. in the new york metropolitan area into eastern pennsylvania, a quarter of an inch of ice. big problems for the roads and airports for tomorrow. and more bad news. we've got a big dip in the jet stream coming later in the week. and so temperatures drop 10 to 20 to even 30 degrees below average. and we could see one or two more significant winter storms by saturday, sunday dumping even more snow. continuing, lester, our weather of discontent. we have complete weather on "wake up with al" on the weather channel and the "today" show. lester? >> thanks. we'll be watching. now to the fight against

isis and the air assault targeting the group in recent days. the jordanian air force claims it has inflicted heavy casualties on isis basis. tonight, it warns there's more to come. we have more tonight from jordan. >> reporter: jordan's air force says the bombing campaign is inflicting heavy losses on isis. in a military video released today, showing an area was hit. in another raid, the pilot saw smoke as high as the aircraft. isis fighters have been destroyed. the air force commander told me -- >> we exceeded damage of overall objectives of the war. >> reporter: they are flying 20 missions a day, he says. he rejects isis claims that a bomb from jordanian planes killed an american hostage, kayla mueller. >> we did not actually target any target within the vicinity where they claim kayla was held hostage. we are miles away from where

kayla is. >> reporter: u.s. forces including these two american f-22 fighters are providing support. and in beirut, $25 million of american equipment, including artillery and humvees, were delivered today for the lebanese army. >> it's what our soldiers use and i know in a matter of days, what your brave soldiers are using to battle and fight terrorism. >> reporter: jordan leaders say their intensified campaign is revenge for the execution of their pilot burned alive. there are fears here in jordan's capital of terrorist reprisals of terrorists. there's a limit to what jordan's air campaign can achieve. >> it's clearly hurting them but it's not going to be enough to drive them out of the territory that they've taken. that is going to require complementary ground forces. >> reporter: yet today, the jordanian air force commander vowed to wipe isis from the face of the earth.

clear simmons, nbc news, jordan. with that claim of an american aid worker being killed, the war against isis hitting home as never before as the obama administration grapples with that crisis, it is also facing tough choices on another front, looking to find a way forward in ukraine where that situation is spiraling out of control. our report tonight from nbc's kristen welker. >> let's remember to pray for kayla. >> reporter: at the united methodist church, prayers for kayla mueller and her family today. prayers holding out hope for her return despite claims of an air strike pie jordanians. >> they're tired. they're weary but also very hopeful for kayla's return here to prescott. >> reporter: administration officials say there's still no evidence to corroborate isis' claims that mueller was killed. secretary kerry said on "meet the press," america and allies

are on the road to defeating the terrorist group. >> we have taken out a significant proportion of top leadership of isis. their command and control facilities have been attacked. >> reporter: secretary of state kerry at a conference today in munich underscored this is a long-term operation and the agreement that bipartisan allies in the region will be key. >> i think the lighting on fire of this jordanian pilot will now gal van nice i hope the arab nations to fight isis. >> reporer: and yet another foreign crisis is commanding american attention this weekend. the ongoing conflict in ukraine. today, the death toll is mounting as pro-russian separatist intensify their attack on government forces. this as people lined up to flee the country and the chaos. republican senator john mccain continued to criticize america's european partners, including the uk and germany refusing to send arms to ukraine. >> it's not that we're doing

nothing. it's that nothing we are doing has been sufficient to deter threats and meet our goals. >> reporter: but secretary kerry insisted the u.s. and its allies are on the same page. >> we are united. we are working closely together. we all agree that this challenge will not end through military force. we are united in our diplomacy. >> reporter: now, tomorrow, president obama will host german chancellor angela merkel at the white house. the two leaders will work to hammer out a unified strategy moving forward and expected to discuss thorny issues like providing weapons to the ukrainians and further sanctions against russia. lester? >> thank you. it's one of the most talked about films of the year. but this week, the drama surrounding "american sniper" takes place far from hollywood, in a courtroom in one small texas town. tomorrow, the prosecution and defense will question potential jurors in the trial of the man accused of murdering chris kyle,

the navy s.e.a.l. who's autobiography inspired the film. jacob rascon has the story from texas. >> reporter: the only thing more popular than an american sniper in texas is the real-life sequel now playing out at the white house. >> i want to see all three families finally get the answers they deserve. >> reporter: navy s.e.a.l. chris kyle became the deadliest sniper while serving in iraq. this, is the top grossing war-movie of all time. in 2009, kyle talked to lester about his mission at home helping struggling veterans. >> some are definitely coming back with ptsd. i want to try to figure out everything i can do possibly to help those guys. >> reporter: one of the guys was a former marine eddie ray routh. two years ago, kyle and friend, chad littlefield, took him to the gun range. only routh returned home. his sister called 911.

>> reporter: defense attorneys for routh declined to comment but said he will plea not guilty by reason of insanity. kyle's widow, taya, spoke with us and says she doesn't think post-traumatic express describes what happened. >> they struggle with other things. they don't turn around and kill other people. >> what the jury will decide, after the judge instructs them on the law, does -- if this person has posttraumatic stress disorder, is it of such an egregious nature it caused this person to be insane at the time of the offense? >> reporter: routh's defense tried to move the trial. attorneys argue kyle is simply too popular in the county. an attorney not involved in the case says the movie is problematic for the defense. >> i think the publicity and particularly portrayal of chris kyle as an american hero makes it especially hard for the

defense to get a fair jury. >> reporter: the debate is heating up here in stephenville. >> people in this town are good people. i think they will give him justice. >> you don't think he'll get a fair trial? >> i really don't, but who knows. >> reporter: jury selection continues tomorrow morning at the courthouse behind me. there are now 266 prospective jurors out of 800 people originally summoned to court. opening statements lester are scheduled for wednesday. >> jacob, thank you. coaching legend dean smith has died n a career that spanned more than 40 years, led the u.s. basketball team to olympic gold and the university of north carolina to two national championships. as coach of the tarheels, he was a leader on and off the court developing nba greats like michael jordan and recruiting the first black scholarship athlete. coach dean smith was 83 years old.

the golf world is also mourning a loss. hall-of-famer billy casper has died. he was a frequent winner on the pga tour with 53 wins and three majors. he was considered one of the best putters ever seen. he was 83 years old. when nbc "nightly news" continues on this sunday, it's a plan to let tourists see the grand canyon in a new way, but it's causing a deep divide. later, a mystery out west. why are hundreds of baby sea lions turning up along california's beaches?

it's one of america's most iconic landmarks visited by nearly 5 million people each year. but now a proposed project at grand canyon national park is drawing controversy with some saying it will ruin the view and others arguing it will let tourists experience the canyon

like never before. here's nbc's kristin dahlgren. >> reporter: it is one of the wonders of the world, usually described as breathtaking, majestic, pristine. but now, the park services calling the grand canyon endangered. on the verge of losing this untouched plateau to hotel, shops and restaurants, all centered around a tram ride taking visitors down the canyon's sheer rock walls to a platform, amphitheater, snack bar and even restrooms. >> if it does become a reality, i think it will be a travesty for the american people. >> reporter: the proposed development would cover 420 acres of the navajo land on the undeveloped east rim right down to the canyon floor where the colorado and little colorado rivers merge. getting to the bottom of the grand canyon isn't easy. right now, the best option is a trail like this. this one is the shortest, about seven miles down. what developers are proposing is

a 10-minute tram ride. >> people who otherwise will never otherwise experience the grand canyon, now we give them an opportunity to get down close to the floor of the canyon. >> reporter: for navajo nation president ben shelly who plans to give developers the okay to build on their land, it's also about opportunity. >> i want my people to have a better life. they need jobs, homes, good homes. >> reporter: but some navajo tribal members say the cost to the canyon is too high. for her, it's about more than money. >> it is my church. it's where i say my prayers, it is where i give my offering, commune with the holy ones, gods that walk along the canyon. >> there are some of your people who don't want this. >> a lot of people want to stay -- go back to the old ways. you can't go back.

>> reporter: it's not the first time development of the canyon has drawn criticism. a decade ago, the skywalk faced an emotional fight. it was ultimately built. this latest project is likely to face a bitter battle too. hopi opponents say the development would be too close to their spiritual resting place. >> these landscape in the canyon today is still very important to the people. we're not going to give up in being good stewards of these lands. never. >> reporter: a proposed plan now causing a divide as wide as the canyon itself. kristen dahlgren nbc news, the grand canyon. when we come back tonight, it's a popular traffic app used by millions, but is it putting police officers at risk?

some 50 million drivers use the navigation app waze to help them avoid everything from snarled traffic to bad road conditions. one of the app's features has some in law enforcement sounding an alarm. they say it could be used to track police and poses a real

danger. nbc's gabe gutierrez tells us more. >> reporter: it's the app millions use to avoid traffic jams, but now waze is also helping them spot speed traps and police officers. >> it does scare me. >> reporter: john thompson is with the national share association. >> why give anybody a tool to violate the law, a tool to put officer at risk? it doesn't make sense. >> reporter: critics don't blame the entire app, just one feature, the one that allows drivers to post where officers are and allows other drivers to find hem easily. we tried it ourselves and sure enough, within minutes, we found the police cruiser where the app said it would be. that feature has prompted the police chief in los angeles to write a letter to ceo of google, waze's owner, asking for changes. while it has not tied the app to assaults on officers tensions are high after two new york city cops were ambushed and killed in december.

but civil liberty activists say other drivers should be able to warn others about what is happening in public. >> this is new technology, but this is free speech and fundamental right. >> reporter: waze says users can't stalk officers using the app. we think very deeply about safety and security and work with police departments all over the world. some in law enforcement think this is a good idea and be a deterrent for bad drivers. >> may cause them to slow down, drive in a slower manager. >> reporter: an ongoing debate at intersection of technology and public safety. gabe gutierrez, nbc news atlanta. up next here tonight, the race to save hundreds of stranded baby sea lions.

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finally tonight, the rescue effort to save hundreds of baby sea lions stranded on california beaches. they're washing ashore in big numbers, and no one knows exactly why. we get the story tonight from nbc's joe friar. >> this is the one from surf side. >> reporter: it has become a daily event along california's coast. malnourished baby sea lions rescued and rushed to care centers. >> you can see his spine very prominent.

>> reporter: most are six to seven months old and should weigh 60 to 70 pounds. instead, they're hovering close to birth weights. >> 26 pounds. >> reporter: upon arrival, a vet checks their vitals. >> this girl's signs look promising. we've got a shot on this one. going to be slow, in the area of months. >> reporter: she's one of many being treated here at the pacific marine mammal center in laguna beach. >> how busy is your center now? >> extremely busy. this is one of our most busy seasons in history. >> reporter: normally, they have two or three animals this time of year. they have 40 and rising rapidly and the year is young and already more than 350 stranded sea lions have been rescued in california, mostly pups that should be nursing. the food supply is scarce and

moms are venturing further away searching for food, leaving behind hungry young. it's hard to say why this is happening, but warmer waters and fish pattern changes could be playing a role. irene gilgoff is a retired pediatrician volunteering her time to help. >> i call this my happiest place but also my saddest place. on some days, it's very sad when you see the pups. >> reporter: here, they start with a liquid diet and gradually build their strength and learn how to eat fish so they're prepared to return home. >> you get to see them get better. you get to see them go back in the ocean. that makes it the happiest place you could ever be. >> reporter: life here would be a whole lot happier if they never had to treat these precious pups in the first place. laguna beach, california. >> that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday.

we hope you join us again tomorrow night. that's all from me, lester holt, nbc bay area news begins with a weather forecast. >> a break from the rain and wind but we have the threat of thunderstorms. you can see all the activity on our live radar right now. earlier today rain coming down across the bay area. what you can expect tonight. good evening, everyone. >> we have reporters across the bay area covering everything from the flooded roads to the dozens of delays and cancellations at bay area airports because of the storm. first, let's get to meteorologist rob mayeda who has been having a very busy weekend. >> and we're seeing the break come to an end in san jose, with rain moving in from the south, breezy