right now at 5:00, another round of wet weather. rain moving across parts of the bay area. can you expect a slippery commute if you are heading out this morning. meteorologist, vianey arana, is tracking it all, including the snow piling up in the sierra. >> that's where a man is missing. the uptick in demand for tests and the steps one bay area county is taking in response. this is "today in the bay." >> we are broadcasting to your tv and streaming live on nbcbayarea.com. good morning to you.

i am kira klapper. laura garcia has the week offer. >> i am marcus washington. first, all-new video showing you rain coming down in fairfield. you can hardly see, making for a wet and windy commute for the drivers. let's take a look at the forecast right now. vianey arana in for kari this morning. how long is the rain sticking around? >> we have a couple more days of active weather, and is gusty out there on the roads. in addition to the rain you are having to deal with the wind at times, and heavier pockets expected to fall within the next couple of hours. this is storm ranger. again, we are going to continue to see morning rain all morning long, and by all morning i mean now until about 11:00 a.m., and then noon it turns from rain to showers, so it starts to back off a little bit. our next focus is going to be

the cold temperatures. our highs, look at that, only in the upper 30s and 40s. i hope you have some sort of coat ready to go, or one for christmas. the coldest days ahead are going to be tuesday through thursday and overnight lows could bring frosty conditions, so think about your pets, your pipes and plants. people, you have a couple hours in through today to get ready for the cold ahead, and i will take you through the entire timing. the latest update on the 7-day forecast, and what you can expect coming up in a few minutes. first, i know who has us covered on the roads. >> what is covering the roads is the rain. that's the issue here. i was watching the camera in oakland and we saw traffic stop, a traffic break and then everything backed up solid, and then we see a quick recovery for

the lighter flow. everything was stopped here in one direction, but looks like it cleared. i saw flashing lights in the southbound direction and there could be another traffic break going on. sounds like that crash could be cleared from the roadway. getting over there, wet roads and another crash on 24. 84, we still have one lane blocked, but it's eastbound getting away from 680. look how wet it is out there. back to you. our nbc storm ranger is a mobile radar. download the nbc bay area app and you can make sure you always know when the rain is heading to your neighborhood and where it's going next. we will stick with the weather -- turn from the weather now. the omicron variant continues to spread long lines at testing sites and

leaving travelers stranded. >> today in the bay's liz mclaughlin tells us about the impact of the surge. >> good morning, marcus and kira. omicron accounting for 70% of the covid cases in the u.s. that record has exceeded the peak we saw in the winter of 2021. this is putting a stress on already-short staffed industries, including travel. tens of thousands of flights delayed, and already today more than 700 u.s. flights, canceled. >> the holiday travel nightmare continues for airline passengers this week, feeling the impact on omicron's rapid spread. >> they said the reason flights

were canceled was due to covid. >> cruise ships caused to be turned away at destination points over the weekend. >> about three-hour delays, they said we are not going to stop. >> and it's also sidelining athletes, with three more college football bowl games canceled on sunday. as schools across the country prepare for students to return, the number of children being infected and hospitalized is rising. educators now strategizing on how to keep kids in the classroom, safely. >> our message is, one, we will do everything we can to keep schools open. >> demand as outpaced supply in recent days, with test kits sold out in many pharmacies and hours long wait times for testing

sites. >> a race to control the spread in the final days of 2021. president biden promises to provide americans with 500 million free at-home covid tests. officials here say contracts to purchase those tests should be finalized this week, but the website where americans can request them won't be up until january. it's unclear where a person can order and how quickly they can be shipped. >> yeah, i am sure they want those tests quickly. >> are they planning to do anything to help travel disruptions? >> well, airlines for america, which is a lobbying group for u.s. airlines are pushing the cdc to shorten the isolation period for airline workers to five days. if they are vaccinated and if they test negative. some lawmakers are trying to

increase or make more stringent the safety protocols that domestic flyers face, including a vaccine mandate potentially, or showing a negative covid test. so far only international travelers have to show a negative covid test. >> thanks, liz, for that. this morning the demand for covid-19 tests remains high in the bay area, but supply remains low. san mateo county went from 40 co reported covid cases a day, to hundreds in just weeks. leaders admit there are not enough tests to go around. >> many pharmacies now, you can go and get self tested, and that's extremely problematic. so the county, we will have to lean in and we may have to do much, much more than we are doing now. >> the county has several

testing sites open this week, but leaders warn the wet weather could shut them down. appointments are strongly encouraged. the county's rate of positive cases tripled. the number of those hospitalized for the virus has grown to 904. and then fast approaching for san josé city workers, the deadline is this friday and if workers are not vaccinated, they could be facing disciplinary action, including being fired. time is running out for all city employees, including first responders. turning now to san francisco, a live look for you this morning where all city

contractors must be fully vaccinated by december 31st as well or risk losing their jobs. contractor workers are defined as anybody working by city workers. we're posting the updates on the omicron variant, vaccination requirements and covid testing. it's all at nbcbayarea.com/coronavirus. 5:09. the search is on for a skier that has not been seen since christmas morning. >> his name is rory, and he disappeared at northstar mountain resort where he worked. he was last seen going up on a lift but never returned. his sister is an avid skier that recently moved to tahoe from colorado. we have stills from the resort's mountain camera and it's covered

in store. searchers have not been able to venture out too far to look for him. northstar was closed yesterday because of the storm. it was supposed to reopen today, however the storm has caused the resort to delay the reopening as well. back here locally, a live look at slick roads on the golden gate bridge, a wet morning as we head out on this final week of 2021. let's check in with vianey arana for a look at what we are dealing with. >> it's got a much-needed boost when it comes to the rainfall and the sierra snowpack. we are going to start out rainy for the first part of the day, and then here's closer look at what to expect ahead. we will be in the 40s and 50s for today, but we will cool off quickly, especially head into tonight and tuesday. 50 degrees in san francisco. 52 in san josé. hayward, 50 degrees. 49 in concord. 48 degrees in santa rosa.

this is a sneak peek of how cold it's going to get. here's a look at your hour-by-hour outlook. yes, we still have some rain, but then you notice it starts to back off right around 3:00, and then here comes the cold and a chance for sleet in the bay area. i will have another look at the 7-day forecast, of course, coming up in a few minutes. i will send it back to you. >> thanks, vianey. if you are looking to get away from the weather and make an international trip, next on "today in the bay," the new price hike now in effect for passports. and then sales are booming. where shoppers spent the most money and is having the most impact on the economy. plus -- >> maybe i am imagining this, too. >> the glass slipper still fits. ahead, the emotional reunion of these two stars 24 years in the making. stay with us.

you are watching "today in the bay." when you have xfinity xfi, you have peace of mind built in at no extra cost. advanced security helps keep your family protected online. pause wifi whenever for ultimate control

with the xfinity app. and family-safe browsing gives parents one less thing to worry about. security, control and peace of mind. with xfinity xfi, it's all built in at no extra cost. any parent will tell you the second you have a kid, it's like your heart is living outside of your body, which means you never, ever stop worrying. that's why we got health insurance and for way less than we thought was possible. the kids' doctor and dental checkups are free and i get screenings for my cholesterol and my blood pressure and don't get me wrong, i still worry, just a little less. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll by december 31st at coveredca.com this holiday season, we want to enjoy the gift of being together. for peace of mind, take the first step in knowing. because it might just be a cold, but you want to be confident. the binaxnow covid-19 antigen self test has the same technology used by doctors

and detects multiple variants. so in just 15 minutes, you can test, know, and go. available in stores and online. ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ it's 5:14. it's going to get cold in the bay area -- colder, because it's already been cold. look at the cold air outlook. we are monitoring this. it will be daytime highs in the 30s, and overnight lows. more coming up. headlights this time

southbound past the coliseum. two crashes and two traffic breaks in the same area of oakland and you can't see the roadway because of the water on the lens. we'll talk about all of these factors, coming up. good morning. i am silvanna from cnbc. traders returning from the holiday weekend, and markets are coming off a third straight gain on wednesday. investors are looking at what the omicron variant could have to economic growth. the index rising more than 2% for the week. the dow gained 1.6% and the nasdaq was up more than 3%. in focus this week, reports on home prices, pending home sales and jobless claims and manufacturing. microsoft is canceling its in-person presence at the show next week because of the

variant. general motors, google, twitter and amazon has canceled their physical presence at the show. retail sales are rising 8% this holiday season, and that's the fastest pace in 17 years. product shortages and the omicron variant with online sales rising 11%. the results were fueled by purchases of clothing and jewelry. master card said their customers were eager to get their shopping done early. >> thanks. happening today for you, get ready to pay more for your international trip, because the cost of a passport will cost $20

more. you can check the state department's website to apply online and calculate the actual fees. trending for you this morning, where there is kindness, they say there's goodness. >> a behind-the-scenes video moment at the time they reunited. take a look. >> so emotional. back in 1997, you might remember brandy made history as the first black princess in disney's history when she starred in the classic film. and whitney houston was the fairy godmother. that was a spectacular

"cinderella." i loved that one. >> whoopi goldberg was her mom, or something like that. >> they had not released it on video until recently. that was a significant part of a lot of peoples' childhood. >> i think i was six when that came out. >> hey! >> yeah. >> i went into the pandemic in my 20s, okay, and the end of the pandemic, i now in my 30s, okay. >> oh, girl. >> let's get to our weather, you guys. if you have a problem with the cold weather, project the joints. this is what my mom says, it's a mom joke, she said get the scarf out and bundle up. take a look outside at the

satellite. you can see plenty of snow coming down, and we had a system last night. we got a break on sunday, but monday morning's commute is off to a soggy start. san francisco in through that stretch of 880 also seeing heavy pockets of rain, and of course the santa cruz mountains. let's get to your daytime high. rainy conditions, and then tapering off to the showers. i want to look at the timing of all this, so your outlook, right now at 11:30, we will continue to see on and off again rain. then we still keep that around. at about 3:00 it starts to back off. if you look at this color, the pink-bluish hue, we will see the numbers drop off and that could bring a chance of snow and

sleet. if you live in one of these areas, take extra time heading into tomorrow because that will be part of your morning commute. frosty conditions and slick roads because of the paw poler air outlook. tuesday through thursday will be the coldest days of the week. if you are new to the bay area, here's a closer look at some of our local peaks that could get rain. also, the santa cruz mountain peaks got some snow. we could get some lowering snow levels to 1,800. there's already a bit of a freeze watch and warning in effect until tuesday morning, and we are going to see the upper 20s to low 30s. no snow levels.

you should still not be traveling to south lake tahoe. there's the 7-day forecast for san francisco. the rain backs off by thursday just in time for new year's eve. you are not going to worry about the rain for new year's eve, but you will worry about the cold 30s on that day. let's get a traffic is doing with mike. >> you can't skirt the issue that you will get past there while nobody is driving up there, because it's closed. check with caltrans and check with us. right now we are checking 880 southbound locally, and heading southbound on 880 pass the coliseum. that's recovering nicely. this crash is a car fire, east bay getting away from the bay bridge as you are coming from

oakland around telegraph. a lot of smoke in the headlights so be careful. wet and slick roadways, our latest crashes over here, mccarthy off-ramp on 237, sounds like a possible single car spinout. 5:22. next here on "today in the bay," "nbc bay area responds." >> she paid for her ticket, so why was she turned away from her long-delayed concert? i am chris chmura with "nbc bay area responds."

(soft music) hey dad, i'm about to leave. don't forget your hat . good morning. how can i help? i need help connecting with my students. behind every last minute save, ok, that works. and holiday surprise, thank you! a customer service rep is working unseen, making it happen. and at genesys, we're proud to help them help you everyday.

good morning. caroline in foster city paid ticketmaster 250 bucks for three tickets to a rock concert that got postponed because of covid-19. she held on to her ticket through two years, and when the concert finally happen she went but they would not let her in, refused entry. she requested a refund and ticketmaster claimed they transferred her seats to somebody else. she contacted us. we contacted ticketmaster, and within a week, a full refund $250.55. we asked ticketmaster what happened, though we didn't hear back.

side note, state law says the business and professions code says the ticket price should fully be refunded upon request. if a concert ticket snag has you singing the blues, let us know by going to nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-tips. the pandemic made the future of movie theaters uncertain but hollywood is using whatever magic it can to make a comeback happen. the latest "spiderman" film proves audiences are wanting to skip streaming and catch new releases in theaters. >> certainly the pandemic is probably the biggest ever, and

"spiderman" has broken all kinds of records at the box office even while we are in the midst of the pandemic. >> here on "today in the bay," we -- or on the "today" show, we have a look at the bigger releases awaiting fans in 2022, and that's at 7:00 a.m. right after "today in the bay." top stories we are following, including whiteout conditions. the record amount of snow the latest winter storm is bringing to tahoe, and the warning from caltrans. plus -- >> elizabeth holmes returns to federal court to face fraud charges that carry 20 years in prison. i am kris sanchez. i will show you where the jury left off before the holiday break. you're watching "today in the bay."

right now at 5:30, tracking the storm and look at that, a wet monday morning across the bay area. meteorologist, vianey arana, is tracking the storm hour-by-hour. plus the criminal fraud trial for elizabeth holmes is nearing the end. we have been walking you through this case step by step, and live coverage as we await a verdict. this is "today in the bay." good monday morning. thank you so much for joining us. i am kira klapper. laura garcia has the week off. >> i am marcus washington. we hope you had a safe and happy

holiday. we will get road conditions coming up, but first vianey arana is in for kari. how is a look at the forecast? >> it's rainy and windy, and it's not going to stop for the next couple of hours. it's 47 degrees in san francisco right now, so not completely freezing but cold enough. satellite radar depicting what we are seeing, including right now, including the sierra snow. it will stay that way until tuesday morning. from mill valley to san francisco, down through south san francisco, 880 and hayward, the san mateo area and also the santa cruz area, so i want to show you a little look ahead what i will talk about during my complete forecast, and that's going to be the low snow levels, near to below 2,000 feet -- i am

not sure what to call these, lows or highs, because we are going to only hit the 30s. we are going to see sleet conditions for the north bay and some of the sheltered valleys. let's get a check of how the roads are with mike. >> it's going to be like this all over for the morning, the cliff notes version. berkeley curb, we are looking towards the berkeley curb westbound 80. we saw a lot of break lights tapping. you see how tough it is to see through the lens. make sure your widers are in good conditions. it was a little slowing earlier, and i believe that crash has cleared. a couple more crashes happened around the maze and 880 by the coliseum earlier, and that has cleared. we have had flashing lights, and somebody was walking around

looking for debris. look at the blue showing ponding and puddling, so a lot of caution in this area. and then be sure and download our nbc bay area app. after the holiday off, week two of the jury deliberations begins in the elizabeth holmes criminal fraud trial today. kris sanchez joins us with where this case stands. it's a wait and see at this point. >> reporter: marcus, right before the break, the jury asked the judge to take home their notes, and so the judge make it

clear all deliberations will take place here at the courthouse. at that point the jury seemed to be focused on a call that happened between elizabeth holmes and investors, and at the time theranos was a private company and valued at $7 billion. in the call holmes talked about plans to put the blood testing technology into retail stores and build relationships will pharmaceuticals. while the government's case said much of what she said was fraudulent, but the defense put out that's what happens in silicon valley very often. >> i will be surprised if they hold holmes to that standard. >> reporter: the jury has been going a few days a week, but because of the holiday this week, we just checked the court calendar and as of 3:30 this

morning, it was updated to say holmes would be in court today but the judge would not be available on tuesday, wednesday or thursday, and friday is a holiday, so this could be the only day this week. in san josé, kris sanchez for "today in the bay." >> thank you. we are keeping our eye on this case. as soon as a verdict comes down we will bring it to you and a breakdown of what is next for holmes. and highway 4 in pittsburg near bay point is back open after a shooting. a man was found with a gunshot wound. he was taken to the hospital. we're told he's expected to be okay. investigators are working to find out if the gunfire came from another car. no motive has been released. >> two chp officers on the mend. the officers tried to pull over the driver in the subaru

outback. the driver accelerated into them causing minor injuries. the driver still on the run this morning. that car was located a short distance away, abandoned. testing is going to be key in detecting how many covid-19 cases california could have after christmas. in the last week the state averaged more than 1,100 tests for every 100,000 people. of those more than 5% have come back positive. our positivity rate nearly doubled in about a week according to the public health department. here's a live look at sfo. it has been a nightmare travel weekend for thousands of people after airlines canceled hundreds of flights nationwide. so far today alone nearly 800 flights have been canceled. they are blaming it not just on weather but on covid cases among flight crews. just today delta canceled 60

flights, and jetblue, 66. united, 87. some travelers said they were not expecting cancelations and delays and others were taking it all in stride. >> hopefully we'll find out, and i gave myself a couple days cushion so we will be all right. back here locally, a 70-mile stretch of 80 in the sierra is closed after two feet of snow dumped in the area. >> over the weekend highway 50 was cluttered with extra traffic because of the closure and it has problems of its own. spinouts backed up travel for miles. in some spots, traffic was held until conditions could improve. it has been extremely hard for

tourists to get to the fresh snow. >> with the road closed, you know, we're happy there's snow but then again, there's no business. >> yeah, not good. business there in the sierra looking forward to the conditions there clearing up and the roads reopening. in the meantime, those travelers, they are being urged to avoid the area. we have a look at highway 80 in donner summit. road conditions have not changed much this morning. vianey arana is in for kari with a look at whether people in tahoe will have a break this morning. >> yeah, it will be a while before it's safe enough for you to travel up there. we have plenty of snow on the way into today and also all the way through thursday. we're going to start to see a break finally on thursday morning. right now about 21 inches expected, on top of what we have already seen. this is a great opportunity to

look at the benefits of the snow. i know it's tough right now with the tourists situation, as they mentioned, but look at our statewide average. we stand about 146%, and on saturday we were at 130%, and that's a 15% boost in one day. with the additional snowfall we are expecting heading into tonight, tomorrow and the next couple of days, this will be bringing our boost up even more. central, 148%, and the south here. 1:00 a.m., our temperatures will dip down into the cold 30s into the overnight lows. looking ahead for tomorrow's daytime, this is about 3:00, look how much cooler we will be tomorrow, topping out in the 40s. it will get colder, but before i take you through the timing of

that, let's get over to mike. >> yeah, caltrans does not allow traffic to or from the sierra via highway 80 or the 50. will we reopen today, monday? maybe. they are not sure. basically what vianey is saying, you can't go there right now. we are taking the radar and you see the activity here over milpitas, and you see the road weather index showing there's the possibility there through santa clara. do not try to see snow at the observatory. wet and soupy conditions kicking in for the east bay. traffic is lighter right now. back to you. >> thanks, mike. covid and college basketball. next here on "today in the bay," the impact the virus is now

having on san josé state's upcoming schedules. it's that time of year to get rid of your christmas tree. the two bay area cities that will help you get rid of them safely. plus -- >> so you want to be a singer? ahead, a sneak peek of how one spice girl's husband is showing off his singing skills, and we'll tell you how he did coming up here on "today in the bay."

♪♪♪ my name is austin james. as a musician living with diabetes, fingersticks can be a real challenge. that's why i use the freestyle libre 2 system. with a painless, one-second scan i know my glucose numbers without fingersticks. now i'm managing my diabetes better and i've lowered my a1c from 8.2 to 6.7. take the mystery out of managing your diabetes and lower your a1c. now you know. try it for free at freestylelibre.us when you have xfinity, you have entertainment built in. now you know. which is kind of nice. ah, what is happening. binge-watching is in the bag, when you find all your apps, all in one place. find live sports faster just by using your voice... sports on now.

touchdown irish! [cheering] that was awesome. and, the hits won't quit, with peacock premium included at no additional cost. all that entertainment built in. xfinity. a way better way to watch. i didn't have health insurance, not because i didn't want it. i worried it was too expensive and i was having a hard time paying our other bills. but now, for the first time in our lives, i can do both. covered california makes health insurance easier in every way. with financial help for millions of us and free assistance to compare your options. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll by december 31st at coveredca.com

good morning. it's 5:43. a rainy and cold start. there are freeze watches to tell you about in the fairfield area, wind sheltered valleys, upper 20s to 30s. we will have a closer look at where the coldest temperatures are expected and more bay area snow on the way. more bay area rain currently right here in fremont. look at how much water is kicking up off these cars here, making things blurry and soupy. breezy and gusty conditions at times, and we have a lighter commute right now because, of course, a lot of folks could be returning from the holidays this week. we'll talk about that coming up. the world is morning the lost of the south african civil rights activist. >> tutu was an opponent of the

apartheid. south africa's president spoke to his nation and asked if they would remember tutu's actions and carry on with peace moving forward. >> let us demonstrate even though the body has departed, the spirit lives on. the struggle continues and the dream that resided in archbishop tutu's heart and yours. >> the archbishop had been a regular fixture at the cathedral sometimes leading marches from the church's steps. this morning on "today," hear how world leaders from obama to queen elizabeth are paying tribute to tutu, and that's next

on "today." and then the lawyer who led the march in roe v. wade has died. her death comes as the court considers the mississippi case. the san josé state's men basketball team being forced to postpone three upcoming games. we did not get any details if that was because of players or coachers testing positive for the virus or just exposure. and then the warriors will be without draymond green tested positive for covid. he had three blocks, three steals as the warriors reclaim

the best record in the nba. green makes five warriors now in the protocols, including fellow starter andrew wiggins, jordan pool, moses moody and damian lee. now that christmas has come and past you may want to dispose of your trees, and there's an eco friendly way to do that. san josé residents, listen up, before sitting the tree on the curb, remove the tinsel, decorations and the tree stand, and you must cut it into five-foot pieces. be sure and set it out by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day. for san francisco residents, same rules apply, just place the old tree on the curb the night before your scheduled collection

day. jeff ranieri is not taking a holiday break. >> yeah, check out where he is at this morning. >> hey, good morning, bay area. it's chief meteorologist, jeff ranieri. check it out. check out where i am at, the "today" show here in new york city, and i am filling in for al roker. if you are doing traveling, we have you covered. i will get ready for the show, and i will see you all at 7:00 this morning. bye, guys. >> that's so good. >> yeah, call your family and tell them your meteorologist is on "today" show this morning. jeff will be featured all week long on "today" show. >> he's at the mother ship. good for him. trending this morning, victoria beckham is not the only one in her family with singing skills. >> she posted a video of her

husband, david beckham, the soccer player, and let's just say chestnuts are not the only thing being roasted here. ♪ jack frost nipping at your nose ♪ >> wait, he's a good singer. >> i thought it was fine. >> he's, like, look, singing is not my thing. >> and that's victoria roasting him about his singing skills. david, he claps back, and he says, oh, i am sorry, adele. >> i would love to see if she could show her soccer skills, or football -- >> i don't do that anymore.

>> all i have gotten from this story, is how good you are at accents. >> i don't have one at all. >> talk to vianey with an accent. >> oh, it's bloody rainy out there. >> get the spanish accent next. look at this. whoa, look at all the snow. more snow on the way. the peak is 4,265 feet, but we saw even lower snow than that, especially into sunday. satellite radar right now very active. by the way, i will be filling in with chief meteorologist, jeff ranieri next week. we are going to continue to see

widespread rain for the first half of your morning, so take extra time. here's the hour-by-hour outlook. monday, 11:30, here it is, you could still see the rain pushing through, even at around 1:30. you have pockets to see still. finally into the 4:00 or 5:00 hour, we see the showers dissipate. look what happens head into early monday morning. you see the pockets there with the pink and blues, that could be sleet and snow for the morning commute. it's going to be quite interesting to see how much we get at our peaks and also at the lower level. notice the time stamp there, temperatures dip down into the 30s. could get even colder than this head into the early morning hours. it's going to stay frosty, and we are not going to warm up by much, guys. we are topping out in the mid-40s, and that's about 3:00 p.m. for the entire bay area. even colder for santa rosa.

we have polar air outlook. if you notice, tuesday into wednesday, that's the white, the blue and the pink. the whitest snow and the blue pink is a wintry mix of rain and snow. we could get more in mount diablo. good news for new year's eve, the rain moves out before friday. here's what you are expecting, friday, saturday into sunday. cold nights with patchy frost. yes, we are always concerned about the fog for san francisco firefighters, so we will keep a eye on that. 50s for danville. it won't be as cold as some of the other areas, but at least it won't be raining. san francisco's forecast right now in the 50s. we will see low clouds. this is what we are going to

monitor because, you know, you have to see the fireworks and can't see it with the clouds and the fog. saturday and sunday we get a break from the rain for the first weekend of 20 tw 22. -- 2022. yeah, the traffic with light volume expected all day. most of the year we have the metering lights turned on, but not today, we have a wind advisory for the bay bridge which is much more of a concern. look how slippery the conditions are. a lot of rain actively falling and kicking up and spinouts reported all morning long. around telegraph, the on-ramp here, watch out because puddling and pond something an issue here. definitely down here, watch 237, it could have flooding on the

outer lanes. stay to the middle lanes and watch out. back to you. >> thanks, mike. happening now, commuters in new york will face challenges getting around this week. trains are running less because of the latest surge brought on by the omicron variant. and then the most powerful rocket in the world launching into deep space. just how soon we can see liftoff. plus, coming up at 6:00, surging covid cases across the u.s. the impact it's having on hospitals, testing sites and airports. you're watching "today in the bay."

- music and the arts boost confidence, creativity, and overall academic performance. - i have dreamt of performing since i was a little kid. - so whatever your dream, music can help get you there. the more you know.

(soft music) hey dad, i'm about to leave.

don't forget your hat . good morning. how can i help? i need help connecting with my students. behind every last minute save, ok, that works. and holiday surprise, thank you! a customer service rep is working unseen, making it happen. and at genesys, we're proud to help them help you everyday. welcome back. you are watching "today in the bay." a cruise ship from san diego is back at the port after being turned away in mexico because of a covid outbreak. 21 crew members tested positive for coronavirus as the ship arrived in the mexican port on december 23rd. this is despite all crew members being fully vaccinated and

testing negative before departure. passengers said skipping puerto vallarta did not impact their cruise very much. >> they said we're not going to stop. we will have events on the boat. they were really good about it. once again, they did not notice it. if they had said something, we would not have noticed it. >> they kept the outbreak under control. san francisco's annual celebration is still on this light up the sky. thousands of people expected to show up on the embarcadero. san francisco leaders tell us they have no plans to scale back the party. beware, late-night seating at restaurants is nearly sold out. next year will be a big year for space launches on the big

pad, and 2022 will mark a year of firsts including a mission in deep space. >> yeah, set to launch in february, it's the first deep-place exploration. it's unmanned but built to carry humans. the test will go further than any other spacecraft of its type. >> so we will have two gargantuan launch vehicles building up to become regular voyages from the cape. >> boeing's star liner is set to launch in may of 2022. right now at 6:00, another round of wet weather. rain moving across parts of the bay area, and you can expect that slippery commute this morning if you are heading out. meteorologist, vianey arana,

tracking all that including snow piling up in the sierra. a skier is missing from the storm. the intensifying search under way and what his sister is telling us about his last known whereabouts. plus -- >> a had a sore throat. >> we got exposed five days ago. >> covid hospitalizations surging across the country. the uptick for demand for tests, and how one bay area is responding. this is "today in the bay." good morning to you. we are broadcasting on your television and streaming live at nbcbayarea.com right now. if you have to head out, take us with you. good morning. i am marcus washington. >> i am kira klapper. my mother watches us all the time on her laptop from l.a. thanks, mom. good morning. laura garcia is off this week. we are starting off under a microclimate weather