good. >> yes, they did. it's going to be happening tonight, as well. >> that's what you'll want to keep again tomorrow. more showers coming through the bay area now. it's offshore. that's what headed our way tomorrow. showers. more coming up at 6: tonight a massive winter storm i is barreling g across thehe countrtry. nearlyly 40 mimillion in its path up to five feet of snow expected in some areas. officials warning of power outages. we are tracking the latest world cup tragedy. fans and athletes mourning the death of american journalist grant wahl who died covering the event we sboek with him last week. >> we are trying to create more and more fans all the time in the united states for soccer. >> tonight what his family is asking for and how u.s. officials are responding. new images of brittney griner working in the penal colony released by russia after ten months in

captivity, she spent her first full day back on u.s. soil. tonight what her wife is saying since they were reunited. flu cases are soaring. the states being hit the hardest. the g the growing list of cities recommending masks indoors and fears over holiday gatherings. it's been a year since mayfield, kentucky, was devastated by a deadly tornado. we speak to residents finding new hope while they rebuild package thefts are rising with the holidays around the corner, how some police departments are getting creative to catch those porch pirates. and giving the gift of joy. the mission to spread holiday cheer to veterans >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. /*. >> good evening. as we come on the air, a massive winterer storm isis slammining the west coast. nearly 40 million are at risk tonight from the extreme weatather. the dangerouous storm

brbringing with it powerfulul wind gusts and torrential downpours. it could drop up to five feet of snow in some areas look at just winds tossing g around thihis chairlift t in lake tahoe, calalifornia. ththe snsnowfall leavingng cars s stuck andnd semimi-trucks straranded on r roads in n washington state. and the storm isn't just threatening the west the system is barreling east putting even more people in its path and bringing withth it a risksk of sesevere weathther rangingng from blizzarards to tornadosos the storm threat ins to disrupt travel from coast to coast just before the holidays. our dana griffin has the latest >> reporter: in northern california's sierra nevada mountains tonight blinding snow and winds topping an astonishing 120 miles per hour part of a massive system sweeping the west in south lake tahoe conditions so

treacherous heavenly ski resort had to stop their lifts. you see a chair blowing from a cable this weekend 38 million n people at risk snowow expected d to get as high h as five fefeet in somome places eastst of seattle e today ---- >> a stuck 18-wheeeeler there. it chose n not to chain up. >> reporter: a big rig jackknknifed and several drivers forced to push their way through the snow but it's not just snow drenching rain, flash floods and even a landslide hitting california officials warning stay inside >> what does that mean near impossible travel conditions >> that's pretty treacherous for motoriststs. >> repeporter: shohould d peoplele be on the roads right now? >> we are telling people it's if they don't need to, stay home. >> reporter: this is only the beginning the next two days, heavy snow continues across the west and the rockies, then into

the plains in the bull's-eye for blizzards, even tornados 11 days until the start of winter and it's already packing a dangerous punch. dana griffin, nbc news and now to the tragic death of a u.s. journalist covering the world cup in qatar. sports superstars around the globe tonight expressing dismay megan fitzgerald is in doha with the very latest. >> reporter: tonight the athletic world shaken and devastated after an unexpected loss 49-year-old grant wahl long time and widely admired sports writer suddenly died friday night while reporting on the argentina/netherlands game the qatari government saying he received immediate emergency medical treatment on site which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to the hospital in recent days wahl writing on his website he had a worsening cold saying, i could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort

t tonight wahl being remembered for his passion and dedication to the sport. >> we have good teams now. >> he fiercely promoted the game and sport in the u.s. and grant will be forever linked with that. >> reporter: he spoke to us here in qatar. >> someone who covers soccer full time, i am tickled to see how many americans have watched this world cup. we are trying to create more and more fans all the time in the united states for soccer. >> reporter: wahl also not afraid to stand up for what he believed in in one of his final reports, slamming qatar for the country's human rights record and during the tournament making international headlines when he tweeted he was briefly detained by qatari officials for wearing a rainbow shirt to a match, shortly after peeking with nbc's andrea mitchell. >> left me won deat it's liker qataris here outside of world cups who are gay. >> reporter: his portfolio vast interviewing lebron james when the

basketball star was in high school for james' first "sports illustrated" cover story. >> tragic loss unfortunate, you know, to lose someone as great as he was. >> reporter: from james to soccer's biggest stars with tributes from players like meghan rapinoe and tyler adams. meanwhile, as the tournament wahl loved rolls on, another upset. portugal elim namted from the world cup >> how about that? >> reporter: major victory by morocco, the only african team ever to reach the semifinals >> an african breakthrough. >> reporter: fans in morocco riding high. france eliminated england late today >> score >> reporter: a tribute from fifa honoring grant wahl today's game yielding storylines and upsets no doubt the late journalist was ready to cover

>> megan fitzgerald joins me from doha how are u.s. officials reacting to death of the american journalist >> reporter: well, jose, according to a sore administration official, the white house is in contact with wahl's wife now, the state department is coordinating the return of his remains, which something that is expected in the coming hours his family wants the autopsy done in the united states. jose. >> megan fitzgerald in qatar, thank you. tonight a deadly flu surge is sweeping the nation and pushing already overwhelmed hospital systems to the brink. the cdc estimating more than 7,000 have died from the flu just this season alone. our maggie vespa has more. >> reporter: phase 3 of america's so-called tripledemic tonight sweeping the nation with a vengeance and pushing hospitals to a brutal new breaking point. >> we are seeing a significant uptick of influenza. >> reporter: dr. james schneider runs the critical care unit at cohen's children's medical center in new

york what about icu beds? how are you on inventory? >> we are very tight on a daily basis, working probably 110, 120% capacity. >> reporter: the staff there isscrambling, two kids to a room and extra icu beds in post-op areas. >> i have been here 31 years and i have never seen this influx of children coming. i have worked here, you know, it definitely takes a toll on me. >> reporter: ant tonight new fears about holiday ga gatherings following a thanksgiving flu surge. the cdc reporting 11,000 hospitalizations the week before soared to 19,000 thanksgiving week and nearly 26,000 post-holiday patients like juan potter stunned by their symptoms >> the toughest part is not breathing. >> reporter: and tonight numbers show covid is spiking, too, with 500,000 cases reported last week the states hit hardest by respiratory

illnesses here in red and purple tonight officials in seattle, los angeles and new york issuing mask advisories, recommending them in public settings. >> cover up. stay safe so you don't spread the virus and give it to someone else. >> reporter: doctors say rsv cases are starting to decline. meanwhile, parents struggling to find pediatric cold and flu medicine coast to coast, pharmacy shelves are bare doctors urging parents to keep kids home from school if they have a fever and take them to a hospital if they have trouble breathing. knowing this latest phase of the so-called tripledemic has yet to peak >> maggie, it's not too late to get the flu shot >> reporter: jose, exactly right. doctors at cohen's children's medical center say every single willing patient gets a flu shot. they are plea, they say get your covid and flu vaccines now and be protected in time for christmas. jose. >> maggie vespa in new york thank you. this morning

brittney griner woke up on american soil for the first time in nearly a year after being released from russia in a prisoner swap now questions are growing about what's next for the wnba superstar. priscilla thompson has the latest. >> reporter: brittney griner is back the two-time olympic gold medalist woke up on u.s. soil for the first time today after 294 days in russian prison late today griner's wife cherelle posting on instagram yesterday my heart was made whole thanks to the collective efforts of many as b.g. and i start our journey to heal our minds, body and spirits, i wanted to personally say thank you to some of the hands seen and unseen that helped make it possible for me to see my wife again. griner went to brooke army medical center in san antonio for mental and physical health checks. >> her mental health will be the top priority make sure she is okay after going through a traumatic experience

is there anything that happened while in detention. >> reporter: as a free woman on u.s. soil officials say the length of they are s her stay is up to her. >> those decisions are up to them and their families they take as much time as they need. >> reporter: russia has released video showing griner through their lens working in one the country's notorious penal colonies where she spent the past month why do you think they released that video? >> it is for propaganda, for political purposes i don't think should view this as the reality of her experience. >> reporter: this facility treated numerous americans upon their return to the u.s. the length of the stay experts say depends on the individual's needs. unknown at this point whether griner will be here or back home in time for the holidays. jose. >> priscilla thompson in san antonio, thank you. overseas ukrainian forces say they shot town ten iranian-made drones launched by russia to attack ukraine's infrastructure it comes as u.s. officials worn russia

is expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal. meantime, the nobel peace prize award ceremony took place today in oslo. the price to a jailed human rights advocate from belarus the russian human rights organization memorial and the ukrainian human rights organization for civil liberties. representatives search the awards condemn the war in ukraine, one missing a call for political compromise that would allow russia to hold on to illegally annexed territories, saying in part, quote, fighting for peace does not mean yielding to pressure of the aggressor. it means protecting people from its cruelty. still ahead tonight, the challenges facing those rebuilding in mayfield, kentucky, a year after a tornado devastated their community. also, the clever way one police department is trying to protect your packages this holiday season

. today marks one year since a deadly tornado devastated the town of mayfield, kentucky, causing many there to lose almost everything i recently returned to that community and spoke to residents coming together to rebuild. >> reporter: one year ago today the devastation stretched for miles, block after block of homes and businesses completely gone driving here on broadway a year ago,

one found just a scene of destruction and devastation. one year later, there is still so much rebuilding to do so much remains empty. so many buildings were leveled. look at how much downtown mayfield has changed a year lart. only a handful of boarded buildings and destroyed structures remain you live a mile and a half from here >> correct. >> reporter: we spoke with county commissioner tyler goodman surrounded by rubble. >> there was a transmission shop on the corner. >> reporter: we met in the same spot surrounded by empty lots >> there were office buildings. there was a restaurant there were homes. >> reporter: he says the last year is about rebuilding and healing. you can rebuild the buildings. >> you can rebuild the restaurants, the retail spaces. you can't replace people. >> reporter: the tornado killed 88 people across five states

here in mayfield, a temporary memorial for the 24 killed in this county a few blocks away a tribute to the community's resiliency >> the barn is back. >> we're back. >> reporter: the barn is the first and only restaurant to reopen in downtown mayfield the tornado turned it to rubble. >> i knew immediately we were going to rebuild. that was not a question >> reporter: the valero family determined to rebuild their lives. we first met them last year after they survived by hiding inside their bathroom. >> i was thinking we weren't gonna make it. god had his arms around us. >> reporter: but they still can't escape the memory that have night. does that tornado still hurt you >> yes when it rains or thunder, i get so nervous, so scared and i, like, i start crying. >> reporter: everything inside their house was sucked up by the tornado.

everything but their statue of our lady of guadalupe. >> that's a miracle. she was there with us taking care of us. >> reporter: the community helped get the valeros back on their feet people donated food and money. and their new house built and furnished for free by homes and hope >> i couldn't believe it i started drying there is still a lot of good people out there. >> reporter: there are. the commissioner tells us that there is planning underway and money budgeted for the reconstruction of downtown mayfield, including a permanent memorial for those who lost their lives in graves county. we're back in a moment with how one police department is using decoys to catch package thieves red handed. plus, good news for those hitting the roads for the holidays

. we're back with good news for anyone planning to hit the road gas prices nationwide fell again overnight the average cost of a gallon is now $3.29. that's down more than 50 cents in the last month and 4 cents less than it was a year ago. a dozen states now have gas averaging less than $3.00 a gallon. to what can be a disturbing part of the holiday season you picked out your gifts and had them shipped only to then have them stolen by brazen thieves, also

known as porch pirates. police departments are fighting back with high-tech plans to catch the crooks red handed niala charles has the details. >> reporter: it's holiday cheer upended by holiday crime across the country porch pirates are stealing p packages right from your doorstep whether it's in oklahoma city, rock island, illinois, or austin, texas, where this thief even tried to make away with halloween decorations. last year, 79% of americans had a package stolen the problem most severe in california's bay area which is why campbell california police have gone on offense. putting gps tracking devices inside bait packages to track down thieves. from here dispatch will tell you where to find the stolen package? >> absolutely. basically the package will move. they will get an alert. it will have a ping. it tells us the direction. >> reporter: officer magee showed us how it

works with a demonstration. >> looks like a regular package with a shipping label on it your normal priority mail express, a sticker on it. >> reporter: after a package is placed on the porch, our producer put it in his car and takes off. >> reporter: let's go. >> they are going to want to know the fruits of their labor and stop somewhere you can trace the line here looks like they found their landing spot. >> reporter: the gps device brings the cops straight to the crooks. >> a typical car stop. when we talk about the package and what they stole the look on their facece is priceless. >> reporter: you have less people stealing packages >> there is a direct correlation. >> reporter: there are ways to pro toprotect your holiday gifts leave delivery instructions a lot of retailers let do you that. sign up for alerts so you know exactly when your package is delivered and getting your order sent to a secure location.

if that doesn't work, law enforcement may be watching >> this crime in particular affects a lot of people. it's a thorn. >> reporter: making sure your treasure makes it under the tree fe niala charles, nbc news, california. a man's incredible mission to spread joy to veterans this holiday y season

. there is good news tonight about a man using the holiday this

season to honor our nation's heroes. near boston this week a mission of joy >> you like that one better >> reporter: free christmas trees for active duty service members, veterans and their families >> feels great >> made my day right here. >> reporter: it's one of the many ways joe and his volunteers throughout massachusetts say thank you to those who serve. >> how many trees are you giving out this year >> we're going to easily do 1,200 this year >> reporter: this has become for you a year round passion project? >> absolutely is. >> reporter: a passion project started 12 years ago with just 20 trees. since then, it's grown into a full-time, non-profit called operation service. for joe, it's personal his dad was in the navy and had a grandfather in the army

what message do you have for military families this christmas? >> the program was never meant as a handout. it's a thank you. >> reporter: a thank you honoring couples like senior airman john knight and his wife candace >> five years. >> reporter: their tree a comfort while they are far away from family back in fayetteville, north carolina >> there she goes. >> yep i like it. >> reporter: it really feels like home. >> honestly, it brings back so many memories of what me and my dad would do, go find that christmas tree. >> he is really doing this to provide that hope and love in everybody's home >> thank you for your service. thank you for coming out today. [ applause ] >> reporter: that gesture of love showing military families just how much they matter. >> what you guys do is important and we want to recognize that. >> no matter where they are, the united states community is thinking of them they are not out there

alone. they are not doing what they are doing in vain they are doing it and we appreciate it >> joe says he hopes he can give out even more trees next year. that's "nightly news" for this saturday kate snow will be here tomorrow night i'm jose diaz-balart thank you for the privilege of your time good night right now we are right in the middle of some wild weekend weather. you can see the storms lighting up our radar here. where and when to expect the heaviest rain this evening. plus, toppled trees and flooded roads are just some of the problems we're seeing

tonight because of the storm. and a serious snowstorm in the sierra. look at this. what the roads look like tonight. later, twitter's paid blue checkmark plan is back on. what will be different this time around. at news at 6:00 starts now. thanks for joining us. >> we start with our microclimate weather alert. street flooding, damaging winds, power outages, we're already seeing it all with our weekend storms. >> it is not over yet. yeah, howling winds that accompanied the rain in san francisco earlier today. in other parts of the bay area, the wind combined with the saturated ground sent trees crashing into homes and cars. >> as for those outages, pg&e says at least 5,000 homes and businesses are still in the dark. you're looking at the outage map. we're seeing outages clear up. it's getting better. crews are