live look outside overlooking south bay city of san jose. the "today" show is coming up next but we'll be back with a local news update in just half an hour. have a great day. good morning. nationwide misery. nasty weather pummelling the entire country. snow, ice, and record-shattering cold creating havoc from coast to coast. the south brought to a standstill by a rare dose of winter. >> we're just not prepared for it. the city's not set up for this kind of weathe >> millions now without power. and overnight, a deadly tornado strikes in north carolina, trapping people under piles of debris. >> we had several homes that were destr, edveral that were severely damaged. >> al is tracking it all. signs of progress? covid's winter surge finally slowing, cases dropping

nationwide to lows not seen in months. tens of millions of vaccine shots now being given, but the demand still overwhelming the system. this morning, the positive trends paving the way for more schools and businesses to reopen, and what health officials hope won't reverse those gains. hitting the road. president biden taking his first official trip as president today, making the case in wisconsin for his nearly $2 trillion covid relief package. just ahead, the hard sell facing the president to get democrats and republicans on the same page. ready to talk. prince harry and meghan markle giving their first interview since stepping down as senior royals to oprah winfrey. that news on the heels of revealing they are expecting their second child. straight ahead, what they plan to share in that conversation, and how the other royals feel about harry and meghan preparing to speak out.

those stories, plus, welcome to yardi gras. ♪♪ safety precautions slimming down the traditional fat tuesday celebration, but in new orleans, where there's a will, there is always a way. >> parades can be canceled, but the spirit of mardi gras cannot. >> today, tuesday, february 16th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> i love it. welcome to "today." it is a tuesday morning. thank you for joining us. fat tuesday, as i said, the party goes on in new orleans. i checked the temps in new orleans. >> oh. >> 27 degrees down south. >> yeah, it is a good thing people aren't taking off their shirts or whatever for mardi gras. it is too cold for that, pandemic aside. >> yeah. we are going to get to that coast-to-coast weather chaos. it's created a real dangerous

storm system. one, by the way, spawning a devastating tornado along the coast of north carolina overnight. >> power outages are the story, as well. nearly 5 million customers in the dark right now, most of them in texas, and those outages led to this scene in houston. watch this. freezers holding the covid vaccine lost power, so health officials had to scramble to give out the shots before they expired. students and staff at a nearby college and local hospitals raced in to get them. >> conditions are so severe and rare in the south, the national guard has actually been activated in several states to rescue stranded drivers. >> even out west, the snow and ice is a big issue, causing the roof of this grocery store in oregon to collapse. fortunately, everybody who was inside made it out safety. >> we are covering every angle of this unprecedented assault by mother nature. first up, nbc's morgan chesky. he is in dallas, texas, for us. morgan, good morning.

>> reporter: hoda, good morning. more than 4 million texans without power and this comes as the temperature dipped below zero for the first time since 1989. all across the south, this massive system is wreaking havoc and there's still more snow on the way. overnight, a deadly tornado ripping through the north carolina coastline. >> unfortunately, we had ten injuries we can report at this time, and we had three confirmed fatalities. >> reporter: the powerful cyclone tearing down homes into piles of debris. ripping trees from the root and slamming them into nearby structures and vehicles. >> multiple houses gone. nothing but foundations. i need help. >> reporter: knocked out power lines lay along the wreckage, as widespread outages roll through the entire region. all this while first responders look ahead to hours long search and rescue efforts. >> i expect it to go into the afternoon tomorrow. hopefully as we get through this, we'll recover and we'll suppt the community and get back. >> reporter: this as a brutal

cold snap wreaks havoc nationwide. the arctic blast tearing its way south to oregon, where a safeway roof collapsed under piles of snow. to texas, where millions are without power, facing record lows. rolling blackouts issued to save the state's power grid from crashing. >> there is a huge demand, limited supply. it is a system wide failure across the state. these are power outages at a huge, unprecedented scale. >> reporter: impossible driving conditions causing

in my lifetime. i want to soak it up as much as i can. >> reporter: this morning in dallas, they remain in the low single digits. the number could be slowly going up throughout the day, but there is more snow headed this direction and that raises the concern about the power outages statewide. no timetable on full >> morgan,u restoration. you can't imagine people are left crossing their fingers. back to you.

their homes right now >> morgan, thank you so much. power, freezing temper you can't imagine people in >> yeah, and their homes right now without ed power, freezing temperatures outside. to boil water, but you can't it is a >> and then some of them are t for our folks down south told to boil water, but you can't. mr. roker is working from home and it's literally dark times for h. >> in fact, guys, 15 minutes ago, dallas-ft. worth airpor our folks down south. mr. roker is working from home and has his eye on everything. minus 1. >> in fact, guys, 15 minutes that ties with the third coldest ago, dallas-ft. worth airport, minus 1. temperature ever for that area, for that ties with the third coldest temperature ever for that area, right now, winter weather alerts for dallas. for 34 states literally coast to right now, winter weather alerts for 34 states literally coast to we're talkin coast.g 95 million people impacted we're talking 95 million people this one sys impacted.tem is now making this one system is now making its way off the coast with a mix its way off the coast with a mix of freezing rain, snow up into of freezing rain, snow up into northern new england. northern new england here's our secon here's our second system, and s this is going to b this is going to be another big problem. problem. wednesday, the low will develop wednesday, the low will develop in the western gulf. in the western gulf. a morning mix of snow, sleet, a morning mix of snow, sleet, and rain for t and rain for texas and oklahoma, where they do not need it. where they do not need it. then as we move through then as we move through wednesday night into thursday wednesday night into thursday morning, tha morning, that all starts to mix into the northeast and

into the northeast and mid-atlantic as a second low miw develops along the develops along the coast. then as we move into friday, en, that storm system pulls off. that storm system pulls off. snow and ice continues into snow and ice continues into the northeast. northeast. we are looking through wednesday we are looking through wednesday fo for another 2 to 5 inches of otf snow for dallas. they do not need that, snow for dallas. obviously. they do not need that, 3 to 6 inches in oklahoma city obviously. up to 3 to 6 inches in oklahoma city.. up to 9 inches in little rock. 5 inches in memphis. and as 5 inches in memphis. we make ouy and as we make our way wednesday into friday, into the northeast, we're look into friday, into the northeast, moderate s we're looking at, generally, fre appalachians into the northeast moderate snow from the and parts of new england appalachians into the northeast and ice, dangerous ice and parts of new england. conditions throu and ice, dangerous ice gh thursm eastern texas into conditions through thursday fro and also the appalachians into eastern texas into tennessee, the mid-atlantic and parts of and also the appalachians into the northeast, as well, guys the mid-atlantic and parts of of course, there's thi the northeast, as well, guys.uty cold air of course, there's this brutally we're going to t cold air.that coming up we're going to take a look at but those temperatures are going that coming up. to be hanging around for at but those temperatures are going to be hanging around for at least the next five to six day least the next five to six days. winter is not releasing its grip winter is not releasing its gr any time soon.ip any time soon.

guys guys? >> al, thank you very much >> al, thank you very much.> wet against covid. we turn now to the fight against covid.bright news therew infections, hospitalizations, an bright news there, new d deaths nationwide, but health offic infections, hospitalizations, and deaths are decreasing are once again sounding the alarm over highl nationwide, but health officials stra are once again sounding the s t those gains. in a mom alarm over highly contagious wk strains that could jeopardize n. those gains. in a moment, we're going to talk about that and more with dr. jha. first, nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer has our report. miguel, good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. for the first time since november, the u.s. recorded a new single low in daily infections, hospitalizations, and icu admissions slowing dramatically. in california, case numbers have plunged 48% over the past two weeks, but the state continues to face vaccine shortages and the spread of highly contagious variants. for the first time in months, the deadly winter surge seems to be tailing off. the u.s. is now averaging fewer than 100,000 daily infections, down from more than 239,000 just a month ago.

the improving numbers come as more schools across the country are reopening for the first time since the start of the pandemic. in los angeles, elementary schools got the green light to allow in-class learning as early as this week. officials in wake county, north carolina, also plan to reopen their schools. >> the decision to return is with safety first. >> reporter: but even as the head of the cdc says now is the time to double down on safety measures, some states are easing restrictions. montana just joined iowa, eliminating its statewide mask mandate. indoor dining is back in many places, too. next week, the barclays center in brooklyn welcomes back nba fans. meanwhile, signs of progress on the vaccine front. more than 52 million doses have now been administered. the rollout now averaging 1.7 million shots per day, with new federal vaccine sites, like this one in east los angeles, now

open, even as long lines and shortages continue to frustrate seniors. >> when we got to the line up front, they told us we couldn't use them. >> reporter: despite setbacks and unexpected challenges, public health workers are scrambling to adapt. in houston, a power outage forced officials to administer 8,400 vaccine doses right before they expired. students at nearby rice university among the lucky, last-minute recipients. >> i literally dropped everything, got everything on, and sprinted here. apparently, everyone else had the same thought as me. >> reporter: one critical number is trending in the wrong direction. over 1,000 cases of people with highly infectious covid variants have now been confirmed in more than 40 states. a wild card that could alter the course of the pandemic yet again. in a matter of weeks, the uk strain is expected to become the most dominant strain in the u.s. experts say the number of people being tested is slowing down, so

it is becoming harder to tell how widespread the virus is. savannah? joining us now is dr. jha, dean of b >> miguel, thank you.rown unive joining us now is dr. jha, dean. good of brown university's school of. public health. >> good morning. good morning to you. >> it is nice to be talking >> good morning. about a drastic drop in cases. >> it is nice to be talking what do you attr about a drastic drop in cases. what do you attribute it to? i know there's some debate over that. is it the vaccine, seasonality, less testing? why are we seeing this drop? >> first of all, i think this drop is real. meaning, it is not just an artifact of testing. infections are clearly down a good 50%, 60%. hospitalizations are down. death numbers haven't moved that much yet, savannah, but i expect them to the next couple weeks and that, of course, will be good news. i think some of it is coming off the highs from the holidays. second, i think there's some evidence that people are being a bit better with mask wearing and social distancing. i do think in the next couple weeks, the effects of the vaccinations are going to start having an impact. i don't know that we're quite

there yet, in terms of seeing the benefits of vaccines on national infection numbers yet. >> and that backdrop, we have this other story, and that's sort of this gathering storm of the so-called uk strain of the virus. it is expected to become the dominant strain here, the main virus that we see here. it is said to be more contagious. just recently, over the weekend, british scientists posted data, suggesting it is also more deadly. how concerned are you about another massive surge, another wave based on this uk virus strain? >> yeah, i'm pretty concerned. i feel like this is kind of the last big storm before vaccines really pull us out of this pandemic. unfortunately, the experience of the uk, ireland, denmark, portugal, other countries that have experienced this variant has been that they have seen a large spike in cases. so that's what we're worried about, and that's why there's such a rush to get all the elderly and high-risk people vaccinated as quickly as possible. >> and just quickly, we do see

some lifting of restrictions. we have a couple of states lifting their mask mandates. here in new york city, they're allowing indoor dining at limited capacity. we're going to see the barclays center open up with limited capacity. what is your word there? i think i know what might be coming, but what is the message here? >> just a little bit longer. i get the temptation to relax now, numbers are coming down, but we're about to enter a really big storm. we will get through that storm, and by the later spring, i think things will be much, much easier to open. i'm just asking people to hold on a little longer. >> all right. dr. jha, thank you very much. we appreciate it. >> thank you. all right. meantime, covid relief is at the top of the president's agenda this week. craig joins us with the latest from the white house. hey, craig. >> hoda, good morning. good morning to you, as well. after spending the holiday weekend at camp david, president biden will be hitting the road today, trying to build support for the nearly $2 trillion stimulus package. chief white house correspondent kristen welker joins us with more on all of that. kristen, good morning.

>> reporter: hi, craig. good morning to you. with former president trump's impeachment trial now over, president biden and democrats are intensifying their push for that $1.9 trillion covid relief package. today, the president will make his first trip to try to sell the deal in battleground wisconsin, and with enhanced unemployment benefits starting to expire in mid-march, there is pressure on all sides. in just hours, president biden is taking his pitch for covid relief on the road. the first domestic trip of his presidency, appearing at a town hall in milwaukee, wisconsin, tonight. the president ratcheting up pressure on republicans to get on board with the sweeping $1.9 trillion relief package, recently highlighting the pandemic's devastating impact on state and local government. >> these folks are all on the front lines. they've been dealing with this crisis from day one. >> reporter: adding urgency, a bipartisan group of governors sent a letter to the white house monday, stressing the need for better vaccine coordination between the federal government

and states. the white house responding, there are ongoing discussions with governors over those critical issues. adding, quote, our goal is to get more shots in the arms of americans as equitably and efficiently as possible. many democrats insisting the covid relief package is critical to getting vaccines distributed. >> we are going to rush to get this done, to help deploy more vaccine, to help get kids back into school safely, to provide the other important benefits in this rescue package. >> reporter: one of the president's closest allies says a group of ten republican senators is still negotiating with the white house for a bipartisan deal. >> if they get to a number and a scope that meets president biden's goals, i think that's a good outcome. >> reporter: among the key sticking points, whether to include an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and whether $1,400 direct payments should be targeted to specific income levels. many republicans also say the

overall price tag is too steep. senate minority leader mitch mcconnell is digging in, telling the "wall street journal" that opposing president biden's agenda will help unify our party. i don't think many republicans are going to be for very many of the things that are coming out of this administration. now, also today, president biden announcing he is taking an executive action that would extend the moratorium on foreclosures for homeowners until june 30th. they were set to expire in march. nbc news has also learned the president will focus on another key part of his agenda. he is planning to unveil an immigration reform bill in coordination with democrats later on this week. savannah, back to you. >> on the impeachment note, a handful of republicans voted to convict former president trump, but they are already facing consequences. what can you tell us? >> reporter: they sure are, savannah. in fact, overnight, republicans in north carolina voted to censure their senator, richard burr, who was one of seven republicans who voted to convict former president trump. now, burr, who is set to retire

when his term ends, had this statement, which reads, in part, quote, my party's leadership has chosen loyalty to one man over the core principles of the republican party and the founders of this great nation. now, burr was one of several republicans censured for voting to impeach or convict there trump. it really underscores, savannah, the divisions in the gop that we've been talking about, and that mr. trump still has a strong grip on much of his party. a poll that came out on monday showed 75% of republicans still want the former president to play a prominent role in the gop moving forward, savannah. >> kristen, thank you very much. appreciate it. back to the white house for a second, savannah, you got an exclusive, live interview for us tomorrow. >> that's right. vice president kamala harris will be doing her first network interview with us since taking office. there is, of course, lots to talk about. the pandemic, the impeachment trial, the new administration's vision for the next four years, and whether or not they can get this $2 trillion covid relief package passed. we'll hope you join us for that

conversation with vice president harris tomorrow morning, right here on "today." >> look forward to that. all right. why don't we turn back to the weather and mr. roker? hey, al. >> hey, guys. this snow out there for a lot of folks who don't usually get it, it's no joke. you put about 3 inches of snow on the average 2,000 square foot roof, that's about 6,000 pounds. if it's a heavy, wet snow, that can approach 10,000 pounds. that's a lot of snow and a lot of weight for roofs that might not be designed for it. so this is a serious situation. we've got more on the way. as we look at our today map, we are looking at icy conditions in the northeast. record cold continuing down into the plains, into the southern plains. we'll be looking at that. the next system is coming out of the rockies, and that is going to be causing big problems again for the southern plains, the midwest, and on into the northeast. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. .

switch to progressive and you can save hundreds. you know, like the sign says. alright, back to work. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a live look outside in walnut creek, we are starting out with a nice sunrise and a mostly clear sky. we'll see a lot of sunshine today, as our temperatures reach up to near 60 degrees. 58 degrees will be the high on palo alto. 61 in napa and 58 degrees as we check out some parts of the east bay. now going through the forecast, it will get warmer tomorrow as we get more sunshine. more clouds on thursday, with rain moving in early on friday. >> guys, next half hour, we'll

take a look at this record cold and how long it is going to last. >> cool, al. we look forward to that. coming up, we have more big news from prince harry and meghan markle, after revealing baby number two is on the way. now, we know the couple is going to sit down with oprah winfrey for their very first interview since stepping away from royal duties we have details and reaction from the royal family. plus, an inside look at the lives of some unsung heros of the pandemic, emts they're reeling from the worst of the surges and risking their own lives every day. the message they want every the message they want every ami'm morgan, and there's more to me than hiv.

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high cholesterol and weight gain, high blood sugar, which can lead to coma or death, may occur. movement dysfunction, sleepiness, and stomach issues are common side effects. when bipolar i overwhelms, vraylar helps smooth the ups and downs. a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. today's top stories including the bay area's newest mass vaccination site. >> i'm bob redell. in a couple of hours the coliseum will open up as a new mass vaccination site for the bay area. the biden administration in conjunction with the state of california designated this site as one of the first 100 vaccination sites nationwide. last night the national guard and state employees put the finishing touches on the 30-acre parking lot in the coliseum, where people will receive their shots. governor newsom urges people to register for the covid vaccine

so they can get their appointments to show up. good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. house speaker nancy pelosi says she will help form a commission to look into the attacks on the capitol. this would be a bipartisan commission, made up of experts, modeled on the 9/11 commission that investigated america's response to the attacks in 2001. i think the rain is behind us, some clouds in the sky. here's kari with a look at our forecast. >> we're going to see much more sunshine for today. it's going to be a really nice one. temperatures near normal, as we take a live look outside in san francisco, a cool start to the day, and then we'll head up to about 59 degrees for a high. tomorrow slightly warmer, more sunshine, reaching 65 degrees in the inland valleys and then on thursday, start to see clouds rolling in, and the rain will be with us to start out on friday morning. it will clear out for the weekend, with some slightly cooler temperatures on saturday, but look at the warmup we'll see

in the valleys into early next week. laura? >> wow, spring-like. thanks so much, kari. thank you for joining us as well. see you in half an hour.

7:30 now, tuesday morning, 16th of february, 2021 drivers in indianapolis and, really, across much of the country, facing that as they head out this morning. ice and snow-covered roads and bone-chilling cold >> yeah. i was in d.c. this weekend it was like an ice skating rink through parts of it. a lot of people are going through tough stuff. >> yeah. al has the full forecast ahead let's get to your 7:30 headlines. house speaker nancy pelosi is calling for a 9/11-style commission to look at the deadly insurrection at the u.s. capitol. in a letter to democrats, pelosi announced plans for an

independent commission to investigate the facts and causes that led to last month's riot. she also urged lawmakers to appropriate more money for better security at the capitol establishing the commission would require legislation and could tee up a partisan battle some sad news to report from the nfl this morning former chargers and buccaneers wide receiver vincent jackson was found dead inside a florida hotel room he was just 38 years old officials say there were no signs of trauma, and the cause of his death is under investigation. jackson had been staying at a hotel since january. the local sheriff's department described him as a devoted man who put his family and community above everything else. the world's longest hockey game finally came to an end monday in bone-chilling temperatures in alberta, canada. and there was reason to celebrate. 252-hour game started back on february 4th 40 people taking turns playing on an outdoor rink, 24 hours a

day, 7 days a week temperatures dropping to 40 below at some points all of the players were skating for loved ones afflicted by cancer the record game raising more than $1.8 million for cancer research now to a major new announcement about the duke and duchess of sussex. prince harry and meghan markle. >> this is a biggie. a day after they told the world they were expecting another baby, we've learned the couple will have a sit-down interview with oprah winfrey, their very first together in more than a year sheinelle has details on this one. >> good morning to you they are three of the most recognizable people on the planet oprah, prince harry, and meghan markle they're now coming together for one of the biggest interviews of the decade the couple opening up to oprah about their relationship, parenthood, and how life has been since leaving their royal duties behind and moving to california >> reporter: on the heels of harry and meghan's pregnancy announcement, the couple will now share their story publicly,

giving oprah winfrey their first interview since they stepped away from royal roles in the uk and moved to california last year the interview being billed as intimate will air next month on cbs, with meghan opening up about stepping into life as a royal, marriage, motherhood, and how she is handling life under intense public pressure. and harry discussing their move to the united states and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family many now will wonder, how will the queen react? could the couple be asked to give up more royal ties, like harry's honorary military titles and meghan's patronage with the national theater the interview details come the day after harry and meghan shared the news that they're expecting baby number two. this black and white photo of the couple setting off a social media frenzy for the shoot with oprah, no one will have to travel far. her estate in montecito,

california, neighbors, meghan and harry's new home there after oprah attended their royal wedding in 2018, the three are said to be good friends. >> lovely christmas basket >> reporter: in december, she shared this instagram video, unpacking a gift from "my neighbor m," yes, that "m. oprah also teaming up with prince harry on a mental health docu-series, airing this spring on apple tv. >> harry and i are going to normalize it to the point where people will be, like, hey, i have mental illness. where it is no longer such a stigmatized, big deal. >> reporter: last christmas, harry and meghan released a special podcast, where we first heard the voice of 1-year-old archie >> you can speak into it >>s it fun >> fun. >> reporter: earlier in the year, oprah defended harry's decision to step out of the royal spotlight and move to the u.s. >> he did what he needed to do for his family, and that's all i

will say about that. i don't think anybody else has anything, any right to say anything >> reporter: now, the media mogul getting rare access to the duke and duchess, and what surely will be a revealing look at their new life in america >> still unclear whether oprah has already done her interview with the duke and duchess and, if so, was it done in person or remotely through a video call? this big step into the public eye comes after meghan won a lawsuit just last week against the british tabloid for invading her privacy when it published parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father that could certainly also be a topic of discussion. one thing about it, everybody is buzzing about the topic this morning. >> oh, yeah. >> definitely. >> lots of folks will watch. >> sheinelle, thank you. up next, some harrowing stories from emts on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic >> yeah, firsthand look at their work to save lives, the dangers they're faced with every day, and what is giving them hope now.

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situations they've encountered in the field. erin, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. early this year, southern california was on the brink of total catastrophe. the hospitals overwhelmed. ambulance crews among the most vulnerable. they're the ones going into people's homes, sometimes sitting with patients for hours while they wait for a hospital bed to open up. in recent weeks, the situation has improved, but their threat and their mission is far from over. they're the unsung heros of the pandemic. emts or emergency medical technicians working 24-hour plus shifts. responding to call after call for help in orange county, california. >> it's not the same job we had before, but the motivation is still there. i signed up to help people. >> reporter: josh hammond and cory ellison nicknamed their ambulance the covid taxi. they assume each patient has the virus. >> someone might be doing compressions right here, and then another person is in that chair, managing an airway. someone giving medications here.

you have all these people crammed inside this little box. >> reporter: during the peak of the surge in l.a. county, hospitals were completely overwhelmed. the wait times to drop off patients stretched for hours. l.a. county issued guidance to not transport patients with virtually no chance of survival. ashley cortez is an emergency dispatcher with care ambulance service. >> it is nonstop, call after call. we just don't have any ambulances available. >> reporter: cortez recalls the harrowing shifts, dispatchers forced to make split-second decisions. >> we had to scan our calls and decide who went first. me, personally, i would choose the trauma call first. it got to the point to where i couldn't believe i was scanning these calls and having to decide, myself, who -- decide who was going to go first. >> reporter: did you have guidelines to make those decisions, or you just had to decide? >> we just had to decide. >> reporter: does that haunt you? >> it does.

it does. you know, i wouldn't want to be the one to decide who gets an ambulance, but i had to do my job. i had to do what was best. >> reporter: in addition to community spread, emts face an even greater risk. they say patients often fail to tell them they're covid positive, including one woman who only reported hip pain. >> we had to wait outside with her in the ambulance for maybe two hours. the nurse told us that she was covid positive. those little surprises happen. luckily, i didn't get sick. my partner didn't get sick from that call. >> reporter: others haven't been as lucky. >> and every day is at least 20 emts out for covid. >> reporter: so they're getting sick on the job. >> yes, they are. they have all the precautions they can get, but, sadly, you know, somehow, they catch covid. >> reporter: numbers are down in california for now. most calls are still covid calls.

good news from those emts, they have both received their vaccines. as for ashley cortez, she says the fear of another spike keeps her up at night. they all urge everyone to keep wearing their masks and to social distance. guys? >> what an interesting look inside, erin. i'm so glad you brought that to us. thank you very much. all right. we have got almost 7:44. i'm wearing short sleeves for no apparent reason.son. i keep looking around, like, why did i do that? anyway, it is freezing outside, al >> yeah, yes, it is. it is just going to stay that way. if it is cold where you are, it is going to be cold for the next several days take a look at the winter weather alerts as far as the wind chill advisories, we're talking 63 million people from the gulf all the way up into the northern plains this cold is just brutal so far this morning, minus 1 is the third coldest day ever recorded in dallas the all-time record, minus 8 back in 1899 it is going to be more than 200 cold records possible through saturday you look at what's happening today, you get an idea why with

these wind chills single digits into the teens it is going to stay unbelievably cold and slow to recover. look at dallas, takes until sunday to get there. the climate change, we have well below average temperatures starting to become more usual. global warming favoring weather patterns this is what the research is showing, it pushes the arctic air down into lower latitudes. that's what's going on around good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. taking a live look outside in san jose, we have a few clouds moving by but expect a mostly sunny afternoon, as our temperatures reach up to 59 degrees, we'll see a high of 60 today and spots in the east bay as we check out martinez and concord, santa rosa, reaching 60 degrees, and tomorrow, a little bit warmer with more sunshine, but then more clouds moving in on thursday. rain in the forecast especially early on friday, but a dry weekend ahead. >> and that is your latest weather.

guys >> mr. roker, thank you. sun's out, guns out. snow's out, guns out >> bad decisionmaking again. up next, this year's parade may be canceled, but the folks in new orleans, you know what they did, they got creative for mardi gras. >> of course we'll show you what today's celebrations look like they're calling it yardy gra don't be distressed by the empty streets. it is still fun there. we'll have a live report from bourbon street, right after this effortlessly comfortable. ll it help me keep up with mom? you got this. so you can really promise better sleep? not promise... prove. and now, save up to $800 on new sleep number 360 smart beds. plus, 0% interest for 24 months. only for a limited time. depression makes it hard for me to follow through with my plans.

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the lincoln family of luxury suvs. a very good morning to you. it 17:56. i'm laura garcia. here is a look at what's happening now. >> reporter: i'm kris sanchez at kaiser san jose where members tell us they waited nearly two hours to get their covid shot and a second dose appointment. in a statement, the hospital told us "current space constraints which may contribute to wait time will be resolved next thursday when the vaccination clinic moves to more spacious swrout door tent and we will more than double the number of vaxinators." kaiser san francisco workers tell us they'll protest outside their hospital today for safety protocols. cal osha fined kaiser 12 times, kaiser is appealing. i'm cierra johnson in san francisco. although a major step to reopen classrooms was creating that agreement the board of education is going to have to wait an additional week to hear it because the district's website was updated to reflect the board

will hear discussion next tuesday as opposed to this tuesday. that lawsuit from the city against the district is believed to be a first of its kind with the city attorney saying it's all in a push to get kids back in the classroom. >> you see our reporters bunled up out there. a cool start to our tuesday morning, kari. >> yes, we're starting out with some sunshine across some parts of the bay area, but we can see these clouds over the south bay. we will continue to see it clearing out and our temperatures heading into the upper 50s. overall a seasonable afternoon, and cooling down nicely for tonight. we will have a chilly start to tomorrow morning, but look at how warm it will be, reaching 65 degrees, and sunny sky, and on thursday, we'll start to see more clouds moving in, rain early on friday. off and on showers throughout at least the first part of the day, but it should clear out in time for our friday afternoon plans and the rest of the weekend is dry. laura? >> sounds nice. thanks so much. thank you for joining us as

well. another local news update in half an hour. enjoy your tuesday morning. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, record-breaking storms coming up, record-breaking storms 150 million americans waking up to frigid temperatures, as an arctic blast sweeps across the nation, causing chaos coast-to-coast major accidents on the roads and millions in the dark. >> these are power outages at a huge, unprecedented scale. >> that same system causing an overnight tornado in north carolina, killing at least three people so what's next al is tracking it all. plus, kids under pressure. our closer look at the amount of stress high school students are facing as they learn in the

pandemic >> sometimes it's really hard to just be motivated to, like, actually get on the zoom and to do the work. >> just ahead, savannah talks to kids from her alma mater what they want you to know and catching up with kenan we'll talk to "snl" star kenan thompson, pulling double duty, as he gets ready for the premiere of his new show >> why he says it is a dream come true today, tuesday, february 16th, 2021. ♪ oh my my my ♪ >> celebrating ashley's 30th birthday. and prepreparing to welcome "today's" newest fan >> good morning, "today" show. >> we're from springdale, maryland. >> celebrating a golden birthday. >> turning 16 on the 16th. ♪ oh my my my ♪ >> good morning to all of my coworkers at coliseum medical centers here in macon, georgia, especially the rehab department. >> good morning, savannah and

hoda. >> it's a beautiful day in new orleans. >> happy mardi gras. >> the best for last there with mardi gras. >> hey, welcome back it is fat tuesday. thanks for starting your day with us. i remember waking up on a tuesday in new orleans you can't believe the rest of the country wasn't into mardi gras. >> don't you know? >> yeah. happy you're with us this morning. >> absolutely. remember, you can always watch the first hour, even if you like to snooze a little bit set your dvr, 7:00 a.m. each day. we'll meet you there you can catch up on the whole show. >> we encourage both, snoozing and dvr-ing. let's get to your news at 8:00 over 150 million americans waking up to frigid temperatures as a storm is spreading snow, ice and freezing rain from coast to coast al will keep us up to speed on the storm's path in a second first, nbc's morgan chesky is in texas. that's where millions are stuck without power in these frigid

temperatures morgan, good morning >> reporter: hoda, good morning. more than 4 million texans facing another night without power, trying to find a way to stay warm. we do know more winter weather is headed this way treacherous conditions all across the entire south, as this system has slammed the region and left millions of people crossing their fingers and hoping power gets restored i want to show new video out of north carolina a rare february tornado was spawned from this massive system that left behind an incredible trail of destruction we know there are ongoing efforts as we speak for search and rescue in frigid temperatures there, as well. and meanwhile, across other states, we're seeing countless accidents as a result of a snow and ice buildup on the roads for, really, the past 48 hours at this point. officials are urging people to please stay off the roads. here in texas, the call is a simple one, try and conserve as much power as possible they have issued rolling

blackouts to try to keep the state's power grid from crashing altogether there is no timeline on when it'll be fully restored. with temperatures sticking in the single digits, that has thousands of people, even more than that, incredibly concerned that the worst could be yet to come we'll send it back to you. >> you hear stories about people in their homes, 30, 40 degree temperatures inside. we hope the power gets on soon morgan, thank you. how about we turn to mr. roker once again, who is at home this morning, for more on what to expect next. al, what's the word? >> here's the deal, guys we have winter weather alerts again coast-to-coast currently we're talking about 32 states with 93 million people pushing through. it's dropped a little now to 86 million. still a lot of people. this is that first storm that caused all the problems in texas, the tornadoes down south. that's moving away our next system now is going to be causing heavy snow throughout

the central plains 3 to 6 inches through wednesday in oklahoma city another 2 to 5 inches for dallas same for memphis 5 to 9 inches in little rock we push into the northeast, moderate amounts of snow ice also going to be a big problem from eastern texas into tennessee. also the appalachians into the northeast. hazardous travel, scattered power outages possible and we also are looking at these wind chill alerts. we are talking about wind chills stretching from the plains all the way to the gulf. 63 million people impacted cold temperatures, guys, are going to hang right on into the beginning of next week folks? >> thanks, al. >> thank you. we move now to the coronavirus. the governor of new york is under growing scrutiny this morning. andrew cuomo accused by lawmakers in this state of seriously underreporting the number of deaths at nursing homes here nbc's anne thompson is on the story this morning good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah this morning, new york governor

andrew cuomo concedes his administration should have done a better job in giving the public information about the state's nursing home covid deaths but his explanation as to why is doing little to stop the scandal. after early praise for his leadership as his state became the u.s. epicenter of the pandemic, even writing a book on his leadership and receiving an emmy for his regular briefings, governor andrew cuomo now under fire from new accusations of underreporting new york nursing home deaths, this after facing backlash over his controversia policy, sending infected residents who had been hospitalized with covid back to nursing homes. now, new york state attorney general saying there were almost 15,000 covid nursing home deaths, nearly 50% more than initially reported, which did not account for individuals who died after being taken to a hospital

cuomo acknowledging the problem monday, while also disputing underreported deaths >> all the deaths in the nursing homes and in the hospitals were always fully, publicly, and accurately reported. >> reporter: claiming he delayed reporting the numbers because he was first addressing a federal request for information. >> look, withholding data from state lawmakers, then kind of using ex post facto excuse of, oh, we were worried about the federal government, doesn' comport with that image of a guy who got a long way by saying, i'm following the facts. >> you're in the middle of hell during this time, but no excuses. no excuses >> reporter: cuomo's response falling short for some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle the state's top republican senator blasting what he called a pathetic response by cuomo and democrat ron kim, whose

uncle died in a nursing home says cuomo's explanation that visitors and workers accounted for much of the spread early on as the gaslighting award of the year lawmakers and families alike still searching for answers. many families simply want transparency, something they have yet to get from governor cuomo. savannah >> anne thompson, thank you very much meanwhile, this morning, a florida sanitation worker is being called a hero after his quick actions saved a little boy from being crushed 7-year-old elias was playing outside his grandmother's house when he decided to hide inside a garbage can. soon after, a garbage truck scooped up the trash can, dumping the boy inside >> i got picked up and thrown to where i was going to be a mashed potato i was thinking, this might be the end for me >> well, luckily, the driver had his eyes on his surveillance camera he quickly shut off the truck's

blade and called 911 the boy walked away quite shaken, as you might imagine fortunately, thankfully, he was not hurt. >> oh, my word. >> wow. >> crazy. >> maybe that should have been my morning boost >> that's right. >> i've got another one for you. here's proof that a dog truly is man's best friend. this retriever just can't hold back his excitement, as he reunites with his owner. long time apart, these guys were best friends and separated because his owner was in the hospital, recovering from covid-19 babe, they are together once again. and is music fits it >> so cute. >> i know. >> that doggie doesn't know about social distancing. he's like, oh, i forgot my mask. so sweet that's love. >> yup. just ahead on a tuesday morning, kids under pressure our network wide look at the pressures and strain of learning in this pandemic >> the second that i left zoom, class is over, i want to be away from school for as long as i can.

>> yeah, i checked in with students at my old high school, who really opened our eyes to the stress they're absorbing from all angles. school, socially, at home. important conversations every family will want to see because every high school student in america is facing just this. right after this 'are my bones strong?' life is full of make or break moments. that's why it's so important to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. serious allergic reactions like low blood pressure, trouble breathing, throat tightness, face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen. or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin, or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. speak to your doctor before stopping, skipping or delaying prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred.

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students with our series called "kids under pressure." >> in fact, we partnered with challenge success, a nonprofit affiliated with stanford's graduate school of education, to survey thousands of high school students all over the country. >> yeah, 11,000 students the result, a striking depiction of students feeling more stressed and less engaged with school i recently got a chance to go beyond the numbers and speak to kids from a school i know well >> i wish teachers knew that on some days, i can't handle any more work. >> i wish my parents knew how much i stress. >> stress. >> stress. >> i'm not just dealing with academic and social stress, i'm dealing with family stress, too. >> how stressful it was to be a student during covid-19. >> reporter: it's a common thread weaving together high school students across the country, a feeling of mounting stress and less motivation to learn. >> sometimes it's really hard to just be motivated to, like, actually get on the zoom and to do the work.

just because i feel like it doesn't even matter. it feels like we're not really learning >> reporter: mia hernandez is a senior at amphitheater high school in tucson, arizona, a school i know a little something about. >> i went to amphi mia's high school experience has been dramatically different than mine the pandemic forced amphi students to be remote for most of the last year their return to hybrid learnin delayed, as arizona reported the highest transmission rate in the country last month do you feel more stress now that you are sitting in front of a computer most of the day and having to learn online >> yeah. the second my last zoom class is over, i just want to be away from school for as long as i can. i'll wait until the middle of the night to do my homework so i can have free time >> reporter: mt ias noalone. in one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, nbc news

partnered with challenge success to ask nearly 11,000 high school students about their experiences during the pandemic. the findings, disheartening, with 42% of students reporting a decrease in their engagement with learning. 56% saying their stress related to school increased since the pandemic started, especially among girls and students of color. more kids are also reporting their mental health is a major source of stress >> they've always been stressed about school they've always been stressed about schoolwork now, you've layered that with this whole other existence. >> reporter: to make a challenging learning situation even more difficult, many students deal with all-too-common tech issues during class something we witnessed firsthand. >> with zoom, there is more work added to the classes. >> reporter: hold on one second, ethan. you froze up sorry, i'll ask you again. what has it been like to do school on a computer or zoom >> it gets tiring, obviously,

with wi-fi problems. >> reporter: senior ethan hitchings has done what he can to be positive, staying active, and seeing friends during basketball practice and games. but he says worrying over school and homework has resulted in a new level of exhaustion. >> i don't try to blow off class. i just -- i just oversleep sometimes or i get caught up doing homework and forget to log-on to another class. >> reporter: he's one of many teens who say they're now sleeping less. the pandemic leading students to feel more disconnected from teachers and classmates. before last spring, junior myriam perez had a packed schedule, balancing clubs with cheerleading and basketball. >> i like to get involved in school a lot. >> reporter: one day, you have a million things to do, a million places to go, and then everybody is at home what has that been like for you? >> it hasn't been the greatest >> reporter: miriam admits it is

harder to concentration now, especially with stress leading to more frequent headaches she's grateful for understanding teachers. >> there's times where my mental health is worse than other days, but it's gotten better. >> reporter: the pandemic's negative impact on students a big concern for principal a.j. malis. >> we have sophomores on campus that have really only been in high school for a semester they're really struggling with understanding what real high school is like >> welcome back, ladies. >> reporter: yesterday, a positive step forward. hundreds of students arrived back on campus for the first day of hybrid learning this semester, an embrace of a familiar routine of the past, as they look ahead to what comes next >> i wanted to do all these things my junior year, go to dances and, you know, maybe prom, but hopefully next year, i will be able to do those things. >> reporter: what are your

plans? do you know where you want to go to college >> i'll be going to johns hopkins in the fall. >> i've already got accepted to many universities, so i'm very confident i'll find a good college. >> reporter: there's so much hope on the horizon. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> those are some great kids, let me tell you. >> wow. >> ethan says he's looking forward to studying, you know, when he goes to college and go into business. mia is looking into medicine as we just saw miriam balancing high school with other classes she wants to be a physical therapist. they're incredible kids. when you talk to them about what they have to do, you start to really understand, this is super stressful. >> you mentioned the tech issues i mean, there are hundreds of thousands of kids who just don't even have access. >> oh, yeah. >> yeah. >> we experienced it doing zoom calls. they're supposed to get the classes. a lot of the kids would say, you know, if you're in class, you might have a question, like, i'm not sure i caught that, raise your hand, or ask a fellow student, what'd they say

you can't,ou don't it's just -- you know, they're having to basically teach themselves a lot of them said that. we go to class, then i didn't catch it, so i have to study it and figure it out myself then i have homework on top of that and they're stuck in a room all day. >> and you're on a computer for school, for homework, on computers all the time i loved how you ended it it made me feel good at the end. i started to get stressed out. it felt good to watch the teachers with the pom-poms as students are returning. >> this isn't forever. there is hope on the horizon these kids have great, bright futures. >> we're going to continue this conversation, "kids under pressure" continues tonight on "nightly" with a look at the pandemic's impact on the health of the children. tomorrow on "today," savannah is speaking with high school girls about stress. our study found girls are much more stressed than boys right now. we'll find out how they're coping with that. >> looking forward to that important conversation glad we're having it. let's turn to mr. roker again for the weather. so much happening in the weather department, sir.

>> yeah. it's funny, nick is off school right now, but, you know, we have to kind of remember that he's got all these stresses, too. sometimes he's acting out, and we have to remember that he's under this stress, as well you know, boys are dealing with this, also we have to just kind of be patient and help them out. anyway, as we take a look at what's going on for today, we are expecting to see, again, some icy conditions, snowy conditions, as the one system moves away heavier showers and thunderstorms through florida. look for record cold in the plains frigid up into the northern plains that next system comes out of the rockies, and that is going to cause problems and a lot of heartache as we move on through the week . good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a live look outside in san francisco, we're waking up to sunshine, feels a little cool out there but it's going to be a really nice day. our highs will reach up to 59 degrees, and also 59 in oakland

and san jose. not a huge spread in temperatures between the coast and the inland areas. we're all looking at highs near 60 degrees and slightly warmer tomorrow with more sunshine. we will start to see more clouds moving in by thursday, ahead of some rain moving in early on friday. >> and that is your latest weather. guys >> all right, al, thank you. guys, it is time for "pop start. carson is working from home, too. hey, honey. >> graphics is up. >> hi, guys. yeah, i got the graphics department it's like ski week or february break. all the kids are sleeping in the matriarch of the graphics department is helping us out today. >> siri? >> who is that >> i've been looking forward to this yeah, it's siri. >> wait, no, no, carson, we need to see siri. sorry. >> they don't believe you. >> you have to just do something. >> oh, wow >> not enough that she is rearing the children. >> you should see me in the house. i'm yelling to everybody, like, "i need help

somebody help me." it's amazing how $20 isn't enough for a 6-year-old, 8-year-old, 11-year-old. we are doing something wrong we have to get to this b.i.g. we've been waiting for the documentary to come out for a long time. he is the subject of it on netflix. it is called "biggie, i got a story to tell. we're excited for it because the film is executive produced by valletta, biggie's mother, and sean combs this is a sanctioned documentary. it's going to offer a new look at the meteoric rise and tragic end to the rapper's life >> he blew up overnight. had no origins for what rap planet this guy came from. >> i was happy that he was making something with his life ♪ ♪ >> he had a gift, a talent, that

saved a lot of people's lives, but his. >> wow. >> if you don't know, now you know "biggie, i got a story to tell," hits netflix march 1st cannot wait to see that. next up, we've got some big news about everybody's current binge watch show, "bridgerton. ahead of the start to film season two in london, the leads have been revealed anthony, played by jonathan bailey, he's going to be looking for a suitable wife in the new season we know who that is going to be. actress simone ashley has been named as the female lead she is playing kate, who is newly arrived in london and, quote, suffers no fools. "bridgerton's" creator sat down with hoda and jenna last month to preview what to expect in season two >> do you already know the story arc in your head right now, as we're sitting here >> i do. i've been writing it i know where we're going i know we have a bunch of new chartersace're going to be introducing.

anthony is going to have a love interest next season, and i think it is going to be as sweeping and moving and as beautiful as viewers of the first season have come to expect from the show. >> huh >> wow >> craig, are you watching "bridgerton" i know the girls are. >> my wife sucked me into it. >> he likes it. >> don't tell him. >> you like it >> i do. >> al, are you into "bridgerton" >> i got to tell you, i love "wanda vision. >> i do, too "wanda vision" is awesome. siri just started "bridgerton" recently, like yesterday everybody is talking about it, so i feel i have to jump in. this story is crazy for valentine's day. this is going to make all of us look like fools, guys michael b. jordan celebrated his valentine's day with his new girlfriend, the lovely lori harvey she shared pictures of how romantic the day was how does the sexiest man alive

surprise his significant other on the big day he rented an entire aquarium harvey posting videos of rose petal and candle-filled aquarium that he had set up just for her, making us all look really bad. he even had a full dinner prepared for harvey at the aquarium. >> wow. >> although, i think it was like nobu sushi not sure how that made the other fish in the area feel. that's a story for another day >> uncle joe >> wow, what a layout. ♪ under the sea ♪ i'll get your take on this "gremlins," the movie from the 1980s, introduced us to the character gizmo. now, the original star, gizmo, and the original star zach have returned for a mountain dew commercial here's the rub in a recent interview gallagher opened up a new debate when itomes co sidekicks. galligan was asked, who is cuter, gizmo or baby yoda? he minced no words, he is

fuzzier. to me, fuzzier is cuter. baby grogu seems he's been shaved or maybe is hairless. >> no way. >> them fighting words. >> agreed. >> baby yoda, a chihuahua. >> baby yoda for the win, right? good morning, i'm marcus washington. with covid vaccines stretched thin people in the south bay are apparently no showing about 10% of the time. that's according to to new data. while it's possible some people are double booking it's adding up to about 4,500 missed appointments. saturday alone there were about 300 left overdoses. some argue the county has to come up with a better strategy. but the county does say none of those vaccines have been wasted. looking at the forecast for you today, looking nice out there after a wet day yesterday. shaping up to be a good one to do, kari. >> yeah, the dry weather is back today as well as tomorrow, and we're looking at temperatures reaching into the upper 50s and

low 60s. 59 in oakland, san francisco as well as san jose, and 61 today in napa. we'll enjoy more sun today. tomorrow. but then a few more clouds on thursday ahead of some rain. showers look to arrive early on friday morning. but out of here by friday afternoon. and we'll go into a dry weekend with temperatures starting out cool, but look at how much warmer it's going to be early next week, reaching 70 degrees, and san francisco will see a warm-up as well, reaching into the mid-60s. we're just watching out for that one chance of rain on friday. marcus? >> not so bad there, thanks, kari. i'll have another local news update for you in 30 minutes. see you back here then.

♪ uh-huh. >> oh, they're playing your song, hoda 8:30 tuesday morning. it's not any tuesday it's not slim tuesday. it's not plump tuesday no, it is fat tuesday. we'll take you to bourbon street they'll have fun this year, won't they >> celebration is going to be different, but new orleans comes together when there is a crisis, they say, we're going to come up with

something. there is something called yardi gras, and we're going to take you there. >> looking forward. a beloved staple of "saturday night live," up really early. he's on the left coast >> good morning. >> almost two decades, kenan thompson has been making us laugh saturday nights. if you love him on late night, wait until you catch his new show in prime time it debuts tonight. >> darling kenan. then elizabeth heiskell. >> she has a taste of the south, a new book, a cheesy chicken casserole, and caramel brownies. nothing wrong with either of those things. >> not going to be low fat either then we have a virtual parade of stars on the "3rd hour." we have grammy winner jennifer hudson on her new cause and what it was like playing aretha franklin also harry connick jr. will join

us and catherine heigl they're going to fill us in on their new thriller we also have a new "steals and deals. jill >> i'm here in my home studio. get this, a hair dryer that can make your hair straight in minutes. plus, a mirror that plays music while you get ready. i am going to boost your beauty routine. tomorrow on "today." >> jill's home studio is almost as nice as 1a. >> exactly we have a special guest. i would say we have royalty with us keith morrison of "dateline. a new podcast out today, called, where do you come up with these things, "mommy doomsday. it's already number one on apple's podcast charts you know i love "the thing about pam," your other podcast tell us what this one is about. >> well, this is about the charming lori vallow daybell,

and her husband, chad daybell, who got some end of the world ideas in their mind and have created -- well, they've left bodies in their wake as they've travelled around the western united states. we have been following them for about a year it's a story you have to hear to believe, quite frankly. >> we are going to hear it we're going to hear it in the "3rd hour. keith, we could hear you talk. somehow you were talking about death and destruction, and i was smiling. i don't know why you have that ability. we're going to have more on that coming up. >> can you just say, "the thing about pam," the way you do, one more time. >> the thing about pam the thing about pam. >> there you go. >> "mommy doomsday." >> available wherever you get your podcast we'll talk more to you. >> thank you, keith. how about a check of the weather from mr. roker >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by consumer cellular where low rates and

award-winning service are just the beginning. >> let's look at the next couple of days, show you what we have going on, starting with today. we do have icy conditions moving out of the northeast heavy rain through florida record cold in texas frigid conditions into the plains the next system bombs through the rockies. for tomorrow, we're looking at more snow in the mid mississippi and ohio river valleys with icy conditions, texas on into parts of mississippi sunny and chilly in the mid-atlantic states, into the northeast. we'll be watching that very closely over the next several days good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a look at our current temperature as we head out in san jose, 49 degrees, and a slow warm-up but we're looking at a lot of sunshine as our temperatures reach into the upper 50s, tomorrow, more sun and 65 degrees, and a few more clouds on thursday, rain returns in the forecast on friday, but

it doesn't last long. and then we go back to some dry weather in time for the weekend and temperatures gradually warm up. we'll reach up to 70 early next week. >> and that is your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. now to the most famous celebration in one of hoda's favorite places, new orleans. >> today, mardi gras typically, it would be marked with lavish celebrations of course, things are far from typical in 2021. >> you know what, the spirit of the day remains alive and well you have to know where to look gabe gutierrez is smack there on bourbon street it is quiet, gabe. the bars and stuff are closed, but the party is still going on. >> reporter: hey there, hoda good morning well, the party is going on in a different way. it is a frigid fat tuesday mardi gras is striking a different cord in more ways than one. some folks in new orleans are actually decorating their homes as floats, proving that here in new orleans, you might be able to cancel the parades, but not the celebrations

it may be the quietest bourbon street has ever been on mardi gras normally, the heart of the city's most iconic celebration, the french quarter, is virtually empty. almost a year into the pandemic, new orleans isn't taking any chances. it's limited liquor sales and shut down all bars for the five days leading up to fat tuesday. >> if you're coming here thinking you're going to celebrate like a normal year, don't come >> reporter: the city, which had planned already on scaled back celebrations, cracked down further after streets were packed earlier this year >> it risks lives and risks the progress our city has made in stopping the spread of covid-19. >> reporter: local leaders are hoping to avoid a repeat of mardi gras 2020, when more than a million people descended on new orleans, viewing an outbreak that stretched hospitals to their limit. >> it requires all of us to do the right thing. >> reporter: but for shops and bars, these are hard times in the big easy

>> we are hoping next month, next month is going to get better, next month is going to get better unfortunately, it hasn't got better. >> reporter: tourism is at the core of the city's economy, and it's been ravaged during the pandemic by one estimate, new orleans is losing out on $130 million every week in this place, it's bounced back before most notably after katrina a town with a rhythm of resilience, the party isn't over just yet >> it's just going to be celebrated differently. >> reporter: local artists are turning mardi gras into yardi gras, with themed outdoor displays inspired by both tradition and pop culture. even a global pandemic can't keep these beads away. >> hoping if we make the house float thing big enough and fantastic enough, it is going to prevent people from being tempted to congregate in unsafe ways.

>> parades can be canceled, but the spirit of mardi gras cannot. >> reporter: it is a bit surreal to see bourbon street this empty. they're putting out the barricades later this afternoon to keep people away. many of the folks we've spoken with here say they've been able to find a safe solution to bring people together, even virtually. hoda, i've got to say, i just got here overnight, but as soon as the bakeries open here, i'm going to find a mardi gras king cake to find its way back to you in new york. it might be a little frozen. >> that's all right. >> i'll see if i can get it to you. >> we'll take that >> new orleans is so creative. we're doing this virtual thing, called mardi gras for all y'all. it is hosted by nola.com there you get to see marching bands, drum lines, emeril lagasse's cooking. >> cool.

>> you get to see the history, a lot of things people probably didn't know. it is on today.com you can see it. >> i love the title, for all y'all. today.com? >> yeah. coming up next, kenan thompson will share the inspiration behind his new sitcom oh, sorry, this is the last tease, you're next tease, you're next the tcom is a dream come tsiru

like, seeing my mom. it's unthinkable to me that i can't see her and i can't hug her. not being able to hug is just like somebody has to tie me down. touching someone to say i love you, to hug you... those are the things that i miss. ♪♪ ♪♪

we're back 8:41 back with a favorite, actor and comedian kenan thompson. >> he is on our tv every weekend for "saturday night live." in fact, he's "snl's" longest running cast member. he is currently in his 18th season >> now, he's also moving to weekdays, starting and starring in his very own show it's got a good title. it's called "kenan." he plays a popular morning show host and widowed father, raising two young girls with the help of a father-in-law who moved in with the family. that is sitcom magic check it out

♪ >> ah! >> what was that noise you made? >> you're going to make up the girls. >> you're the one yelling. >> what are you doing up >> i thought we had a break-in what were you going to do, give them the funk? >> no, i was going to hit them in the face and say, "sax to be you. >> kenan, good morning we're excited to have you. to have a network sitcom with just one name, yours, "kenan," that's got to be right up here in the goals list. >> i mean, it's the pinnacle, as far as, you know, my comedy career is concerned. that's as high as you can get. sitcom with your name on it, that's it, basically i'm very excited. >> so you and lorne michaels are co-eps together. do you feel pressure in this moment >> yeah. [ laughter ] >> thanks for bringing it up

>> me, lorne, jackie clark, who i created it with, david cast, whittingham, my director, we're all eps together everybody is kind of building this thing together. which makes me feel good number one, i'm not crazy. number two, everybody kind of wants to get behind this thing i'm really excited the clips look great the response has been pretty strong you know, i can't wait for tonight. >> yeah. you have two kids of your own. you and your wife have been married ten years. how much did you draw on your own experiences as a father for this >> when we were writing, it was kind of only in, you know, mirroring my life a little bit, the fact that i do have two daughters and, you know, everything else just kind of is creative liberty, if you will. like my relationship with my father-in-law was actually really wonderful my wife is, thank god, still with me.

so everything else, you know, we're trying to make a show that i haven't seen before. whenever i'm doing, like, cooking scenes, packing up, you know, homework and bookbag scenes, stuff like that, it hits very close to home >> i'll bet. >> hits close to home to us, too. you're playing a morning show host of course, kenan, we know of your wonderful rendition of our very own al roker. did you draw on that for inspiration? >> well, definitely the energy that you guys have to put into everything early, early in the morning, regardless of how tired you are or anything else, or trying to keep your life going around it. al roker is my brother i love him to death. he's such a brilliant guy. there he is. >> aw. >> the nicest -- >> hey, kenan. how are you? >> best glasses game in the world. great, man how are you? good to see you. >> good. congratulations on the new show. that's fantastic. >> thank you very much thank you so much. i appreciate it. you have to watch it >> if you need somebody to play

your dad, i'm available. >> good casting right there. >> roker is a broadway veteran >> get the roke dog in there. >> they're rebooting everything, and a lot of it is not good. "kenan and kel," that was one of my go-tos back in the day on nickelodeon. any chance you bring back "kenan and kel"? >> i mean, there's always a chance, i would think, right? i wanted to see "the fresh prince," but it was just a gathering, which is fine. i really wanted an episode. if we do do it, we have to definitely do an nickelodeon. >> kenan, thank you. we're excited. jenna and i will speak to you longer on the fourth hour. you're not going to bed. sorry, honey. >> stay right there. >> it's all good we're starting the day it is a big day today. fat tuesday. kenan tuesday. it is tues-yay >> thank you, kenan. >> you're going to make that happen

>> absolutely. it's happening. >> congrats again. >> all right >> thank you, man. >> thanks, honey you can head to our instagram page kenan has some behind the scenes takeover from the site of his new show "kenan" tonight at 8:30/7:30 central here on nbc. coming up next, southern cooking with the always entertaining elizabeth heiskell.

this morning on food," we are joined by one of our all-time favorite chefs, "today" contributor elizabeth heiskell. >> good news to share. a new cookbook called "come on over," southern delicious for every day and every occasion it comes out in a few months it is now available for preorder >> this morning, elizabeth is showing us how to make delicious recipes, easy ones, from her book girl, how does book lunch day feel how you feeling?

>> oh, my god, i'm so excited. i mean, i seriously might spontaneously combust right here it's been a hard year, and it is so good to have something to look forward to, something to get excited about. we are going to inspire you with this book, to celebrate every that is from our weekdays i mean, like, this chicken divan casserole and caramel brownies, that is from our weekdays chapter look, when the kids come down for breakfast, and they look at you with that face, and they say, you know, "what's for supper," like breakfast wasn't enough, then you can say, "oh, honey, chicken divan and caramel brownies". i mean, the world is going to be happy. it is going to be tues-day. >> it's happening. >> oh, my gosh, finally, my dreams are coming true tues-yay is catching on. >> we have the chicken casserole that's so easy

i have cooked chicken and broccoli already in here we're going to add a cream of mushroom soup. that can be any can of cream of is going to be just fine whether you've got cream of chicken, cream of celery, it really doesn't matter we have a little half and half, sour cream cheddar cheese, people we have to have good cheese with casserole. seasoned salt, onion powder, some pepper, a little bit of garlic powder, and then we've got a little salt. mama was funny, she loved to be exotic in the mississippi delta. she'd add curry powder to everything it made her feel real fancy. you could add curry powder to this or not. it's completely up to you. we're going to mix this all up, then we're going to pour it into our 9 by 13 casserole. now, i served this over -- my

good friend mike wagner's rice look, we're going to pull out the good china it is tuesday, but i'm telling you, if we don't use these things we love, i mean -- >> right >> there are so many more tuesdays in a year than new year's eves. honey, we're going to pull it out and enjoy. >> exactly. >> what in the hell are we waiting on >> what are we waiting on? >> how about the dessert >> now, this is the best a lot of times, we're running short on time during the week. i'll give you the easiest, fastest recipe you've ever seen. store bought cake mix. we use german chocolate cake mix. i've already made that with evaporated milk. what you do is mix the melted butter cook off half of it, okay? just half. you'll put that in the bottom. then we're going to top it with chocolate chips. we add our caramel then once that's done, you smooth that out. then you come back over with the rest of that topping that we've put in the fridge.

you just thin it out it is almost like you're going to make a tapestry to cover the entire thing back in the oven at 350 degrees. honey, you have got a dessert that is going to make -- >> one question, elizabeth looks yummy! >> look at that. >> looks crazy do you mix the cake mix like you're making a cake, the way they tell you? >> no, you don't it is just the cake mix. >> powder. >> the butter and evaporated milk. >> oh. >> then you mix that up. we're taking a shortcut. i'm not embarrassed to say it, because i want your kids to have dessert tonight. this is a way you can do that. so this book has literally recipes for celebrating everything whether it is a beach day. i've even got a chapter on title diet days. >> probably a short chapter. >> i'll make those fun cheat days party days >> love it. >> delta days.

>> do you have fat tues-yay! >> yes, absolutely that's going to be in the next book >> i have three kids two of them are in college, and i have one on the way. they really like expensive shoes. we have to sell this book. [ laughter ] >> it comes out may 4th. mama melvin, she wants a copy. right before mama's day. craig, get on the phone as soon as this segment is over, and let's get the book ordered. >> yes, ma'am. >> you can preorder the copy of "come on over" at today.com/shop to get your hands on those recipes, those two at least, check out today.com/food >> elizabeth, we love you. good luck with the book. >> honey, i cannot thank y'all enough cheers. cheers. >> cheers.

finally moved in. it's a great old house. good bones, wraparound porch. the pipes are... making strange noises. ♪bagpipes♪ ♪bagpipes♪ ♪bagpipes♪

even the plumbers couldn't help us. nope. at least geico makes bundling our home and car insurance easy. which saves us a ton. for bundling made easy, go to geico.com. coming up on "hoda and jenna," a special mardi gras party. we have music. we have food we have a new orleans legend, erma thomas, and there is a big

surprise craig, "3rd hour," your wife has something to share >> yes it is not that, but it is a new project, bringing news and sports stars together. we'll tell us all about it. >> lindsay is having a podcast. >> lot cheaper and less stressful. after your local news. >> is it a boy or a girl >> is it a boy or a girl? good morning, 8:56, i'm marcus washington. a shot in the arm this morning for the bay area's covid vaccine rollout, today the oakland coliseum opens for the first time as a mass vaccination site. the goal here is to provide 6,000 shots a day. oakland leaders tell us they are confident they will be able to hit that goal, even as other mass vaccination sites shut down due to shortage of supplies.

part of the reason there, the coliseum's supply will not be coming from the county but from federal resources. fema assisting in setting up the site on the grounds of the coliseum parking lot, anyone eligible can sign up from the state's my turn website. bart and ac transit are offering free transportation to people who show proof they are getting the vaccine. happening now, the doors are expected to open real soon at 9:00 a.m., bob rudell is speaking with organizers and people hoping to vaccinate on the first day. live report during our midday newscast. meanwhile, as some counties are stretched thin with the vaccine supply santa clara county seeing a surprising number of people not showing up for their appointments. head to our home page to learn more about the possible reasons why and what the county is doing more about it. more coming up in an hour.

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live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> good morning. welcome to the "3rd hour of today" on this tuesday, february 16th. we're all here this morning in our brady bunch boxes. i'm sheinelle here with craig and dylan. al, as you can see there, working fm home. we have quite the lineup this hour, starting with our friend keith morrison. he is going to tell us about a new podcast called "mommy doomsday." oh, it's live. you can wave to us. >> yeah, hi. >> it drops today, and it's already at the top of the charts. it is a closer look at a case that made headlines around the world. it wouldn't be