record-breaking cases of covid-19. ahead of new year's eve celebrations, the guidance health experts are urging before you head out and celebrate. the new year bringing new laws. ahead, a breakdown of some of the legislation taking effect in just a few hours. >> very little time to get out, very little time to get the most important parts of your life. >> we have more of the extraordinary video ahead of an unprecedented wildfire in colorado. the conditions complicating the wildfire fight this morning. this is "today in the bay." good morning to you. i am scott mcgrew. >> i am kira klapper. laura and marcus have the day off. thank you for joining us on this final day of the year. one country just rang in their new year.

♪ >> wow. >> we are all dancing in our chairs. this incredible show was in australia, just an hour ago when the clock struck midnight. >> and here in the bay area, vianey arana is in for kari, and she's tracking our new years forecast. >> kira and i have our shiny party dresses on to party in the studio. it's 43 degrees right now in san francisco. it's going to be cold today. i want to take you on a tour, look at san josé, 37 degrees right now. oh, that's so cold. but it's dry, so that's good, right. walnut creek even colder. 35 degrees. now, this cold air is going to linger not just through today but also through tomorrow. dublin at 36 degrees, and over the next several hours essentially we will get up to the 40s with a little bit more sunshine by the afternoon. we're going to top out in the upper 40s, a couple low 50s.

a full forecast on what to expect coming up in a bit. back to you. >> thanks, vianey. we are talking about covid cases all week, and they are rising sharply across the area, with all nine counties seeing some type of surge, and some reporting the highest number since the pandemic began. taking a closer look at santa clara county, on monday the county reported more than 2,300 new cases. you can see that surpasses the previous single day record that was back on january 5th. >> as 2022 approaches, the fast-spreading variant alters many families' plans to stay safe. many were scrambling to get the

last-minute parties last night. >> cases will start to go up after gatherings. we have seen that the last two years. we know if you are fully vaccinated and boosted, we are hoping most of the cases will be mild. >> if you plan to party still, you should make sure everybody is vaccinated and boosted and get tested for covid and after your celebration ahead of returning to school and work on monday. today's the last day of 2021. there are new laws going into effect tomorrow. >> it seems to happen every january 1st, but they are different. kris sanchez joins us now moving us forward with what we need to know as we wake up tomorrow. good morning, kris. >> some laws w increase

to employers that have 26 or more workers, and that will be $14 an hour for businesses that have 24 or fewer employees. a new law aims to help people with unemployment benefits. the employment development department was overwhelmed during the pandemic, and governor newsom signed a reform bill to force them to give advance notice if a department plans to refuse a claim and it gives applicants a chance to correct any mistakes to their applications before they are disqualified, to give them the best chance. our neighborhoods could see an evolution coming, and that means it would be easier to convert an existing unit into a duplex, and it's to increase housing

supplies for people trying the make it in the bay. and 2022 brings police reform. law enforcement agencies have to get approval from their local government before buying what could be considered military equipment, like armored vehicles, and they can only use rubber bullets or tear-gas to break up protests if the situation is life threatening. bad cops will be banned for life. officers convicted of offenses like sexual assault or excessive force while employed at one agency can't just go on and get hired on by another department. as you try to go out with the old and in with the new, don't throw the leftovers into the garbage, they now need to go into a bin so they can be composted. hoping for a better planet in the new year. >> indeed. >> you can find all this information on nbcbayarea.com, you can find the link right there on the trending bar.

a jewelry and antique store the latest to lose merchandise to a smash and grab thieve. this video was posted of the aftermath of the burglary that left their shop in shambles. sfpd tells us they briefly chased the suv and heard what they thought was gunfire coming from the car, and they got away. the store owners are telling us that telling their story will hopefully give a face to the biggest problem. >> this is happening in our community. it needs to be known. >> neighbors in pacific heights tell us they feel like thieves are getting more bold and believe the city and police need to do more to support and protect small businesses. developing right now outside boulder, colorado, take a look

at this video. a massive wildfire decimating the suburbs of superior and louisville, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate home after home here. this is video taken by police officers driving through the town of superior. >> it's a dense population there. flames sparked when power lines fell thursday morning. one driver posted this video yesterday. you can see they narrowly escaped the flames as wind-driven wildfire swept across the road there. in some places, winds were gusting up to 100 miles per hour making the firefight extremely difficult for crews. >> take a look at a bird's-eye view of this, and this is taken from somebody from the bay area flying over colorado. you can see how densely urban this is. >> the fire is the most destructive fire in colorado's history. >> the governor declaring a state of emergency.

>> oh, my god. >> smoke, flames, chaos, as historic winds push fire into neighbors, homes built and cherished over life times gone in a few minutes. >> this area -- for those of you that don't know this area of boulder county, it's around suburban neighborhoods and stores. >> the winds are pushing flames the distance of a football field in a matter of seconds. >> very little time to get out. very little time to even get the most important parts of your life. >> cars filled with evacuees can barely stay ahead and get to safety. >> they are actively running from fire behind them. >> the hope is everybody made it. >> however, i would like to emphasize that due to the magnitude of this fire, the intensity of this fire and it's in such a heavily populated area, we would not be surprised if there are injuries or fatalities.

>> the fire just 1,600 acres destroying homes, leaving thousands of people out in the cold with crews unable to fly over because of erratic winds. >> we have had deputy sheriffs and firefighters in areas that had to pull out because it got overrun, so there was a lot of brave stuff going on today out there. >> more difficult days ahead once the wind dies down and the smoke clears. nbc news. >> back here locally, developing in the sierra, both lanes of i-80 are now back open after a big rig jackknifed. you can see it across the roadway there. the chp shared this photo with us. westbound i-80 was closed from the nevada state line to three miles west of the state line. fortunately nobody was hurt. we have been telling you the snow and slick conditions have

been causing a lot of dangerous conditions in the sierra. here's a live look at the south bay and san josé's skyline. let's check in with vianey and get a forecast for your new year's eve. >> it will be nice today because we will get sunshine, but we have to get through the cold temperatures. even then it will be chilly because we are going to be topping out in the upper 40s. let's take a look at your daytime highs for today. napa, 49 degrees. santa rosa, 51. around the san francisco and bay, low 50s as well. in through some of the interior valleys, concord, 50 degrees. down through the south bay, we will be in the low 50s as well for san josé, morgan hill, 50 degrees. santa cruz at about 53 degrees. heading through tonight, it will be cold and breezy at times especially if you are going to be out in the early morning hours. expect to see temperatures dip down into the 30s. by this afternoon, take a look at what we are looking at so

far. 36 degrees right now in santa rosa. napa, 38. right around midnight, fairfield, 39. concord, 39. this gives you an idea of what the temperatures will be like right around midnight, which is, of course, when we welcome in the new year. it's going to get cold. let's get a quick check of how your drive times are doing throughout the bay area. bay bridge, no metering lights. you are looking at about seven minutes westbound 84 towards the dumbarton bridge, nine minutes. i'll send it back to you. >> clearly a lot of people sleepinging in this morning. >> yeah, must be nice. tesla is recalling thousands of cars. next on "today in the bay," the potentially dangerous issues being found. could your new year's eve be

off to a flat start? the reason you may struggle to find bubbly to pop open at midnight. plus -- ♪ pretty woman ♪ >> julia roberts, we look at her new san francisco home. today alone over 1,000 flights have been canceled. you can find the link on our front page. we'll be right back.

it's 6:14. good morning. we may be taking a little break from the rain but we have a nice rain season update. coming up i'll take you through how much rain we have seen from october 1st to july 1st in the bay area, coming up in a few minutes. then 2021 was an amazing year on wall street, just extraordinary. tesla, meanwhile, recalling half a million cars due to safety concerns. in a letter to the ntsb the company cites concerns over a cable on the model 3's rear view

camera. and on another model, the trunk could open unexpectedly. the problem affects some cars going back to 2014. tesla says it will inspect the vehicles and make the necessary repairs free of charge. new this morning, for those looking to buy a bottle of champagne tonight, high-end brands are in short supply. popular brands and more expensive labels that could retail from 50 to $100 per bottle are sold out. it's all due to the supply chain problems, and lack of boxes, labels and corks. we were talking about how that could be tough for us, but then kris sanchez and vianey realized we don't spend that much on champagne.

and then ikea previously said it was leasing more ships and buying its own containers and routing goods between warehouses to offset supply-chain issues, but now says it will have to pass those costs off to consumers. back here locally, trending this morning we are getting an inside look inside pretty woman's bay area home. >> julia roberts bought a home in presidio heights. realtor.com sharing these pictures online. the house has five bedrooms and includes 4 1/2 baths, and a wine room for the expensive champagne, outdoor dining space and a garden. she bought the home last year for a little more than $8 million. >> i wonder if she really lives here, or if this is just a -- >> exactly.

>> one of many. >> my parents' home in l.a., that's my second oasis over there. >> it's always nice to go home. i was at home in chicago for the past week, and it's always nice to touch base. >> chicago is one of those places i have not gone to yet, and i have to go. >> vianey, often times it was warmer in chicago than it was in san josé, california, and certainly drier. >> we are going to see how 2022 plays out when it comes to the drastic climate changes around the entire world. we have seen it over and over again, which is why our climate in crisis series is so important. 35 degrees right now in walnut creek. it's so cold right now. it's going to stay cold, not just for today but also pretty much through the weekend. satellite radar paints a quieter picture, especially when you see how much rain we have seen over

the last couple of weeks. once the sun comes out, you will get a little toastier, but it will be so similar to yesterday's forecast. if you enjoyed that you will enjoy today. if you thought it was too cold, at least now you are more prepared. 52 in palo alto, napa, 49. i want to give the temperature outlook, midnight tonight into saturday, low 30s up through napa and fremont. those 30s will linger around all day saturday, only topping out in the upper 40s and low 50s for the first day of the new year. looking at the long-range out look, because we have more rain on the way, which is why i want you to enjoy this break from it, because we have a system moving in on monday, mainly north of the golden gate bridge, they will see some of the higher rain totals. rain shadows could happen in the south bay, but we get a second system moving in thursday night into friday, and that could be a

more widespread storm into the first week of january. how have we been doing when it comes to the rain season. you can see the latest drought conditions improve, and the sierra snowpack is plentiful, and the reservoirs could still use a boost. from october 1st to july 1st, santa rosa has seen over 21.5 inches. san francisco now over 16 inches. we hit a new record there after the 15.3. livermore, 10 inches. san josé, man, san josé has a ways to go and that's where the rain shadowed area. the santa cruz mountain takes all of the rain for the south bay, so we still have a way to go but we are off to a solid start when it comes to the boost we saw in the past two to three weeks. okay, 51 degrees for san francisco in the new year.

the active weather pattern kicks up heading into monday night, tuesday and wednesday. 50s today, and new year, 2022, also in the 50s. it's the overnight lows i want to focus on, because you want to bring in the pets. the pets, plants, people and pipes, right. it will be frosty, maybe dipping down into the 20s in the wind sheltered valleys. and then depending on where the storm stalls out, we could see the rain mainly to the north, and on tuesday it will be more widespread. as far as the roads, no major issues out there. holiday light traffic is a welcome sight. bay bridge metering lights not on. >> one of our viewers tweeted, he got the message to stay in,

and they cancelled their plans in the city and happy not to cross a bridge tonight. good listening to vianey for that. next on "today in the bay," "nbc bay area responds." >> a five-figure cruise refund, and a missing cable box. next we look to find them. and then this is a picture full of talent and charm, and also i'm in it, so remember, you can keep up with kris by following her on instagram, twitter and facebook. keep it right here. you're watching "today in the bay." >> i thought you were going to say, kira and kris are also in it.

♪♪ we all need a rock we can rely on. to be strong. to overcome anything. ♪♪ to be...unstoppable. that's why millions rely on the strength and financial guidance of prudential to achieve their dreams. who's your rock? ♪♪

with some companies it's hard to get your money back and it's never something you want to go through. >> that's why chris chmura and his team pitched in to help you and he joined us with some recent wins. >> since our team started back in 2016 we have recovered or saved more than $5.7 million for our viewers like you. harry in danville, he paid almost 15 grand for a cruise. the cruise line canceled because of the pandemic but didn't refund him. after months of asking the cruise line for help he called us and we called the company and then a $14,651 refund. eric in san francisco had a priceless case. he said his cable company was

supposed to send him new cable boxes and a modem. we stepped in and the cable company installed his equipment. we could offer help. go to nbcbayarea.com and click the responds options from the main menu or call us at 888-996-tips. >> thanks, chris. gayle berkeley armstrong passed away. her former employer confirmed she died over the weekend following a lengthy illness. for 16 years berkeley was the editor of san fraco's "sun newspaper." representative barbara lee calls berkeley an institution in journalism who wrote about and lifted up the black community for decades. gayle berkeley armstrong was 74. it's 6:26.

next, the top stories we are following today, including a cold end to 2021. meteorologist, vianey arana, will track when we will see a heat up. plus -- >> your commute could become a little more expensive. the new year's day toll hike about to take effect at most of the bay area bridges. and new year's celebrations are set for tonight, but how are you getting home? the safe and free options being offered across the bay area. we'll be right back.

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we learn about covid-19, the more questions we have. the biggest question now, what's next? what will covid bring in six months, a year? if you're feeling anxious about the future, you're not alone. calhope offers free covid-19 emotional support. call 833-317-4673, or live chat at calhope.org today.

right now at 6:30, getting kids boosted. when parents can expect the fda to broaden eligibility, and the age group expected to be become eligible. plus -- >> when will this surge end. the reason experts say it could drop down as quickly as it shot up. another change in the new year. bay bridge tolls about to go up. the price you will pay crossing into the new year. this is "today in the bay." good friday morning. happy new year's eve. i am kira klapper. >> i am scott mcgrew. marcus and laura have the day off. we're still quite a few hours away from ringing in the new year, but new zealand has welcomed in 2022.

they were the first country in the world to officially bid farewell to 2021. auckland rang in 2022 with fireworks and a light show from the harbor bridge and the sky tower earlier this morning. we might be a few hours away -- >> right. >> but vianey and i are dressed for our celebrations. we are both wearing sparkles. >> my sparkly coat is at the dry-cleaners. >> what about your sequins? >> it's 37 degrees right now in san josé. the cold weather has really just lingered around, you know, the bay area for the past several days, a couple weeks now at this point. 36 degrees in dublin. eventually we will climb in the 40s and get sunshine rolling through. we will top out in the upper 40s, low 50s for this afternoon.

i want to show you what to expect if you are going to be out late tonight at midnight getting ready to welcome in the new year's, in the north bay bay and interior valleys, it's going to be cold. santa rosa, 56 degrees. down through san josé, 30 degrees and colder tonight into the early morning hours. the 7-day forecast coming up. back to you. >> thank you, vianey. a live look at the bay bridge. in the new year, your drive into the city will be more expensive. >> this is almost true of every bridge. bob redell joins us from the dumbarton bridge. the $6 bridge toll will feel like a bargain come tomorrow. >> reporter: correct, because tomorrow it goes up to $7, a one-dollar hike going into effect for all of the bay area bridges except the golden gate. again, tomorrow that toll used

to be $6, and now will be $7, and if you have three axils or more, your toll will be 13 to $17. this affects the antioch, the bay bridge, the dumbarton, the carquinez, and it does not impact the golden gate bridge. >> i don't remember them talking about it, it just goes up, but i guess we voted on it and it's >> he's correct. in 2017, central bill 595, and then the regional measure 3 in 2018. the first hike happened in 2019, the second one tomorrow and the third will go into effect in 2025. there's a legal challenge for senate bill 595 and regional

measure 3, so the toll increases that they will collect and have collected, they will be placed into an escrow account managed by a trustee until the litigation is settled, so it's going up to $7 tomorrow. >> good to have that warning. thanks, bob. happening now, police are looking for a north bay mother who left her baby in a car as she ran from police. it all started before 1:30 this morning on rose street and winter haven avenue in santa rosa. police found a woman sleeping in our minivan with her baby inside. police believe she was intoxicated. when she did not comply with

officers, she sped off. doyle ran off but left the child alone inside the car. the child was not harmed. 6:34 on your friday morning. new this morning, the fda is planning to expand eligibility for the pfizer covid booster shot. a person with knowledge of the plan tells nbc news the agency will expand eligibility to children ages 12 to 15 in the coming days. currently that age group can get the first two doses, but not the booster. the news of the pending approval was first reported in the "new york times." the omicron variant continues to spread rapidly, of course, in the u.s., accounting for about 58% of all new covid cases for the week that ended on saturday, this according to the cdc. happening today, state superintendent thurman and monroe will hold a conference about the importance of testing students for covid before they

return to school. the event will be at canyon middle school in astro valley. at 10:00 a.m. there will be a drive-up covid-19 test distribution for all families. at 11:00, thurman and the superintendent will distribute more test kits. hospitals across the bay area bracing for a rough few weeks as the cases rise, but there could be good news ahead. in a series of tweets ahead, the chair of the medical school spelled out why the bay area could see a sharp fall in cases. we have higher vaccination rates than south africa, and now the unvaccinated here still have the most severe cases, including death, but for the vaccinated break through infections tend to be mild, so when somebody lives through it they will have added immunity. >> so they will have immunity they didn't have before.

pretty much the whole population will have immunity. >> hospitals like valley medical center in san josé have set up tents outside and they are ready for more critical patients. it's hoping in february there will be a new availability of treatment for patients that do get infected. you can go to nbcbayarea.com/coronavirus and we have what you need to move forward. we will explain when and where you need a mask and the updated vaccine and booster mandates in your county. we will turn back to the weather now and give you a live look at palisades in tahoe. this is a live cam on top of their mountain. looks like it could be refreshing there. so much snow over the past week. i have two friends that have been snowed in since christmas. there's the live look. wow, it does look beautiful, but my goodness, so much snow.

let's check in with vianey arana as we bid ado to new year. >> if you are traveling into the l.a. area, we'll look at that as well. for san josé, we are expecting to be in the 50s for the next few days. no rain in the forecast, and that's good news there. getting even colder in through the napa area, especially into friday night, so tonight, early saturday morning, it could be one of the coldest days we have seen yet. 32 degrees, probably more like the 20s because of the windchill factor. in san francisco, 53 degrees for today and then over the weekend we will stay in the 50s. san francisco is also going to get really cold tonight. danville right now, cold and in the 50s during the day. similar forecast with the cold nights on trend with the patchy

frost. if you had plans to travel to south lake tahoe, there's icy roads to consider. sunday and monday, the sunny conditions, we'll keep that around but by next week there's a new storm making its arrival that could be bringing the bay area more snow. i checked the grapevine to see if it's still open, and there's a 20% chance we could see some shower activity through that stretch so continue to monitor that before you even think about heading down the grapevine. back to you. >> drive safe -- or don't drive, you could get free rides on bay area transit services tonight. bart will extend service to accommodate riders, but those regular prices remain in place. as far as the trains, the last east bay-bound train that goes

through downtown san francisco should be around 1:30 in the morning. the last southbound train, heading down to millbrae, will run through downtown san francisco at 2:10 a.m. 6:39, a second chance for a colorado truck driver sentenced to more than 100 years behind bars for a deadly accident. you may have heard of this story and the nationwide outrage. the last-minute move from the governor reducing his sentence, plus -- >> well, 2022 is just hours away now and with every new year we get new laws. i will set you straight so you can begin the year as a law abiding citizen. >> could get your chance to become a millionaire, and we'll tell you how much the jackpot grew and your next chance to win. you're watching "today in the bay."

♪♪ we all need a rock we can rely on. to be strong. to overcome anything. ♪♪ to be...unstoppable. that's why millions rely on the strength and financial guidance of prudential to achieve their dreams. who's your rock? ♪♪

good morning. it's 6:43. we are in the 30s in the bay area and tahoe in the 20s. conditions improved but still dangerous to travel up there. more coming up in a few minutes. colorado's governor shortening the prison sentence of a truck driver convicted in a deadly crash to ten years, and that drastically reduced the 110-year sentence that drew outrage. rogel aguilera-mederos' was

convicted of vehicular homicide and other charges in that explosive 2019 pileup that killed four people. that crash came after his brakes failed though prosecutors pointed out he skipped at least one runaway truck ramp. around 5 million people signed a petition seeking clemency. we always know what the first day of the new year brings, and now it's new laws going into effect. kris sanchez is moving us forward with what we need to know. hi, kris. >> minimum wage is going up, and starting tomorrow it will be $15 an hour for businesses with 26 or more employees, and $14 an hour for smaller businesses, and those that have 25 or fewer employees. the employment development

department now has to give advance notice if they are going to deny your claim. but before that the eed also has to give you, an applicant, a chance to correct any mistakes on the application before you are disqualified for benefits. and then law enforcement will see reform. a new law requires agencies get approval from their local government before buying armored vehicles or any other military-style equipment. officers will also be banned from using rubber bullets or pepper spray or tear-gas, i should say, to break up protests unless it's a life-threatening situation. any officer convicted of offenses like sexual assault or excessive force and will be stripped of their badges and not allowed to work for any other force in california.

and then make sure you are putting your leftovers in a bin and not the garbage. >> you can find all of the information she was talking about at nbcbayarea.com. head to that main page and find the link on our trending bar. 6:46. one lucky person could end up starting the new year with hundreds of millions of dollars. as we mentioned yesterday, no ticket matched all six numbers drawn yesterday, and that means the jackpot climbed higher. this is up for grabs for the powerball, $500 million up from 441 million. the top prize has been growing since october 4th, and the next drawing is tomorrow. >> scott, you will have to get in on our pool. >> yes. trending, a victory celebration you might find just gross. take a look at this, south

carolina's coach got a mayo bath. the winning team gets $10,000 to give to a charity of their choice. it's replacing the well-known gatorade dump. it has become a recent trend at the idaho potato bowl, where teams started to dump french fries on their coaches, which i did not find as disgusting. >> yeah. it's going to be cold, guys. i don't know how to roll that in from fries and mayonnaise. use hot chocolate today. it's going to be delicious. nothing going on when it comes to the weather rain wise, but the cold temperatures are

getting colder. napa, 33. fairfield, 37. i do want to give you a look at what the windchill factor plays in. look at this. fairfield might be in the 30s but it feels like 25 degrees right now. napa, feels like 32. we're below freezing for a lot of the spots up through the north bay, down through morgan hill. 38 degrees. san josé, 37. i want to give you a look at the long-range outlook. we get a break from the rain in the next three days and monday into tuesday, we get rain in the north bay in the middle of the week, and then thursday night into friday, we get more rain and it could be more widespread heading into the last friday, the first week of january. how are we doing? i will give you a refresher. even though the rain is pesky, it's doing great things for the planet. over 21 1/2 inches here, and san francisco hit a new record on december 26th, now at 16 inches.

san josé has a long way to go but this put a nice dent in part of the bay area drought for sure. d-4 category is pretty much gone from the bay area. statewide it's at less than 1%. if you look at the index at the top, it guides you. most of the area here is d-2, and that is a less severe category. the reservoirs, they have seen a nice boost. we have seen a rise of nearly 25 feet since then because of the series of storms. again, we are still in a drought and still has a long way to go but it's nice to see a boost in our california reservoirs right now, at about 57% for the three largest reservoirs for the state. the sierra snowpack plays a role in that. right now we are still going to see snow chances into next week and that plays a role in filling

our reservoirs up, when that snow-melts into the spring, so that's good news. cool and dry, and the big story will be the 30s. i can't wait to see what people tweet me as when it comes to bundling up. i see dogs with hoodies on, and i appreciate that, and my dog is not a fan of having to use the bathroom outside. we have a report coming in from the chp from the east bay. along northbound 880 at alvarado, they issued a sig-alert. right now my speed sensors are showing it's cleared out. maybe that managed to clear that out just in time for the morning commute, which is always helpful through there. hopefully everybody is okay. tri-valley drive times from grant line to 680, 17 minutes. southbound 680 from 580 to

vargas road, ten minutes. i'll check on that, but overall it has been a holiday light commute so far. back to you. >> thanks, vianey. just shy of 6:51, happening now covid infections sweeping through prisons. attorneys for inmates are saying large percentages of employees required to be tested twice weekly are not doing so however correction officials say that's not the case. in response to the increased cases, some prisons are shutting down admissions. coming up next, a quick look at the top stories including covid concerns as cases surge, and people are getting ready to celebrate the new year. the precautions experts say you should take to keep your family safe. just a few hours away from a price hike for the bridges, and we'll talk about how much they will go up in a live report.

first -- >> join us on new year's eve. we're posting the biggest party live in miami. >> if i remember to show up. >> don't forget miley's new year's eve party starts tonight at 10:30 here on bay area, co hosted by snl's pete davidson. you don't want to miss it. you can catch a early nbc bay area news special at 10:30 p.m. we'll be right back.

the classic hollywood story. we meet the hero, the all-new nissan frontier hero faces seemingly impossible challenge. tension builds... the plot twist the hero prevails in hollywood, this would be the end. but our here, we are just getting started. introducing the all-new nissan frontier.

welcome back. it's 6:54. here is a look at the top stories we are looking at this morning. >> first, as 2022 approaches the fast-spreading omicron variant is forcing many families to alter their new year's eve plans to stay safe. many are still traveling to get the last-minute party supplies, we found them out yesterday, but bigger celebrations being canceled and has many families opting for smaller gatherings at home. an infectious disease expert says next week to see covid cases increase. >> cases will go up after gatherings and the holidays, we have seen it the last two years. if you are fully vaccinated and boosted, we are hoping most of

the cases will be mild. >> if you plan to go out and celebrate, make sure everybody you are with is vaccinated and boosted, and to get tested for covid before and after your celebrations, ahead of returning to school and work next week. in the new year, your drive to work is about to become more expensive as you try and make it in the bay. today in the bay's bob redell joins us from the dumbarton bridge. bob, $6 tolls are going to sound like a bargain moving forward. >> reporter: yeah, tomorrow they go up $7, a dollar increase starting on the new year and that will be on the seven bay area bridges, including the dumbarton behind me. what used to be 6 will be 7. if you have a large vehicle, this will be for commercial drivers, three axils are more, they will be going up from 17 to $37. it does not include the golden gate bridge.

i listed all seven of those bridges from memory, and i think i got them all. happy new year's to you guys. reporting from the dumbarton bridge for "today in the bay." >> not bad, bob. we will turn to more serious news developing outside of boulder, colorado. it has forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate. we have video taken by police officers who were driving through the town of superior. the flames sparked when power lines fell yesterday morning. my goodness. look how close they are to the police car. they narrowly escaped the flames as wind-driven wildfires swept across the roadway. the fire is now considered the most destructive in colorado state history. at least 500 homes have burned.

both lanes of 580 are back open after this big rig jackknifed. westbound 80 was closed from the state line to three miles west of the state line. fortunately, nobody hurt. the snow and slick conditions are causing a lot of traffic conditions in the sierra. on the final day of 2021, what can we expect for new year's eve tonight. i get to work early tomorrow morning, and -- >> i am going out to an early dinner and that's it. >> we are pretty much taking vianey's advice in staying inside. >> it's just going to be so cold. it's going to be cold, and we are getting a break from the rain, which is great to see. saturday and sunday, we will keep the dry weather around and overnight lows tonight potentially tipping down into the 20s in some spots and with the windchill factor it will

feel colder. monday, tuesday and wednesday, yes, that's rain. we are tracking more rain on the way for the bay area for the first workweek of january 2022, and here's a closer look at your inland temperatures. notice daytime highs pretty much stay the same, although the overnight lows in the first week despite the storm will be a little more mild versus cold, which is what we have seen with the cold air blast in the past two weeks, and that brought snow to the bay area snow tops, and when i see it in the forecast, i get excited, and we need sunshine. >> it's a forecast all the way into next year, vianey! >> she sees the future. don't forget, speaking of the new year, miley's new year's eve show hosted by saturday night live's pete davidson.

>> that's what happening. thank you for joining us on this final day of the year. be careful out there. >> the pictures from australia, stunning. >> yeah, and the music gets you going. have a safe final day of the year. good morning. let the countdown begin. people around the country and the world seager to turn the page on 2021 and usher in the hope and promise of a brand new year. but once again, the rapid spread of covid-19 hanging over the celebration. how can you have a good time while still staying safe? we have everything you need to know to ring in 2022 in style. today friday, december 31st,