snow totals come close to a foot in denver for the first time in four years. despite new delays and a lot of digging out to do, some people aren't letting it stop them from getting around. >> a broncos player is questioned by police during a prostitution sting at the super bowl. >> new evidence that the zika virus can be spread through sexual contact and new concerns it could lead to paralysis in some who get infected. >> two of football's greatest quarterbacks talk to us about how technology has changed the game. 9news starts now. a denver broncos player who never was going to see the field in the super bowl is now not going to see the game. he's headed home tonight after being questioned in a prostitution sting in a motel 6 in san jose. ryan murphy is on the practice

flight back to denver right now, broncos not interested in distractions, the team statement saying although practice squad safety ryan murphy was not cited by police, we decided it was best if we continued our preparations for super bowl l without him. ryan is returning to denver, but his status has not changed. a jury decided with another denver athlete. semyon varlamov was found not guilty tonight in denver. the starting goalie's ex-girl friend sued him claiming abuse during their relationship. she asked for damages in a civil case. instead the jury decided she should pay him. ra lar month of's attorney -- varlamov's attorney called the claims ground little. we've seen more snow in the first two days of february than typically all month.

some parts of town will see subzero temperatures. there are some schools on a one hour delay tomorrow beginning at 8:30. right now on 9news.com you can see all the school closings and delay for tomorrow. nearly 7 inches the first day and 5 more on the second were enough to break denver records for both dates. we usually don't get storms like this in february. big snowfall totals are rare and even when we do get a decent storm, it's usually a one day event. anything noteworthy tends to happen over two days like this storm. it will rank as the fifth biggest two-day storm in february in the city's history, less than 3 inches for the all time record for the month set in 2012. that storm happened almost four years ago to the day from 2012. we had nearly 16 inches of snow. most of it fell on the 3rd, 12 1/2 inches worth. a little snowy calendar coincidence. kathy is in the weather center with a look at some of the other snow totals from

>> we had 1 to 2 feet of snow recorded across the front range and eastern plains in the high country up to 3 feet of snow, but with that gusty north wind feet high. roads are slick tonight as temperatures continue to fall. how about 11.3 inches at dia, 20 inches in elizabeth, a foot in arvada, castle rock, lone tree, aurora, just preliminary numbers to give you an idea of the amount of snow that fell over about two days. in the high country check these numbers out. if you're planning on going skiing and snowboarding, why not? decent travel weather, but it's mighty cold when are, 0 in silverthorne, minus 1 in leadville. we are saying good-bye to our most recent weathermaker tracking to the northwest, blizzard warnings east of the storm area and that's only one piece of the puzzle. we're looking at the severe weather threat increasing overnight. the threat of tornadoes, heavy rain and large hail across the gulf coast. around here clear skies, light

tomorrow, but it will not be warm. so those roads which are a little slick and icy out there will stay that way with single morning drive, something i'll talk more about coming up in our main weather segment along with a warming trend. we got to wait for it, but it's coming and that all important super bowl forecast sunday. we need the forecast here in case we're outside celebrating and the forecast there for when >> exactly. thanks, kathy. look at the storm's impact on the eastern plains. national weather service offered up this map this morning showing all the highways closed east of 25 because of blowing and drifting snow. i-70 is back open between denver and kansas that first shut down last night. several other highways are being cleared and should be in much better shape by tomorrow. weather is a choice whether to get all worked up about it or to take it in stride like the folks found by 9news reporter steve seager.

bring truth to a phrase we so often hear about the difference days can make. it's easy to tell the difference between the commons park area then and the commons park area now. four days ago they were eating outside. now they're eating in. >> we just went out and were riding around and figured we'd come over to the hill, see what we could do on our bikes and see how we could not hurt ourselves while doing something crazy, i guess. >> reporter: this is denver on a snow day, the city where do. >> we got up here, so we have to get down somehow. >> reporter: where a snowy stroll through the park is more enjoyable with poles in your hand. >> there is a lot of snow. country ski. >> reporter: and a regular coat won't cut it. has anybody told you your whole get-up kind of looks like cam newton's pants the other day?

i tend to get a lot of of bright. >> reporter: yeah. you're not going to get hit by a car, are you? >> no. it's easy to spot me. >> reporter: this is the city where it's easy to spot something unexpected. >> are those like for us? i'm not sure what i'm looking at? >> i was driving and i did a double take. i didn't believe what i saw. >> are those nuns? look at these ladies skiing. they're nuns. >> reporter: only in denver on a snow day. >> are you having fun? >> yeah. it's great. >> those nuns are with the sister of life, a new order of sisters in denver that started in may. they've been spotted hiking and praying frisbee at cu boulder.

identity, force of habit. the red cross is asking anyone who traveled to a country where there's been an outbreak of the zika virus to wait at least a month before donating blood. health experts believe we'll see between 3 to 4 million cases of the virus next year primarily in central and south america. there are now concerns that zika could be associated with a debilitating condition in adults. 9news reporter whitney wild is here with specifics. >> health officials have been concerned about zika for months after data shows a rise in zika at the same time a rise in microcephaly, a condition that causes abnormally small heads and brains in infants. doctors now believe there's a paralysis that could occur in adults. the cdc is investigating zika in brazil. their doctors worry the virus is responsible for a disease called guillain-barre syndrome. the condition is life

nervous system and causing paralysis. it's treatable with blood cell infusions and physical therapy. >> you think the zika virus is connected with the syndrome? >> yes. absolutely. >> who is at risk? >> everybody. >> reporter: it's a startling new theory about zika which is already causing alarm among the international health community. there's evidence the disease is causing severe birth defects, though no definitive link has been proven. meanwhile here in the u.s. health officials say someone who recently traveled to venezuela appears to have infected another person through intercourse making it the first confirmed example of sexually transmitted zika. those cases emerged near dallas, texas. >> if a man comes back, gets sick with zika and has sexual intercourse with a woman who is pregnant or may be pregnant, there is the theoretical risk that that woman could then become infected with zika. >> reporter: 9news recently spoke with the csu professor

wife the same way. their transmission hasn't been verified by the cdc. >> ours showed high antibody activity to zika and my wife's was only to zika. so it was pretty darn clear. >> zika is spread through infected mosquitoes. experts say only certain kinds can pass it along and they don't live here in colorado. >> thanks a lot, whitney. we cannot show you a photo of america's most recent medal of honor recipient because of the work he's still doing in seal team 6. he's honored in his rescue of a doctor held by the taliban in our state establishing medical clinics in remote parts of afghanistan. byers will receive the medal of honor at the white house february 29th. lady gaga will sing the national anthem at super bowl l. the performer just won a

she's up for an oscar for best original song. cold play, beyonce and bruno mars headline the halftime show. super bowl l over five days away, over the past five decades lots changed how the game is played and how we watch it. some legends of the game talked about technology changing football today. >> reporter: they did, kyle. it was great to see joe montana and drew brees talk about technology, not only how it's changed things as far as how players play the game, but how we'll watch the game. the idea, bring the stadium experience to your house or bring the tv experience to your phone while you're at the stadium. >> look at the past, present and future of the sport. >> reporter: at the super bowl l media center. >> i represent the past. >> reporter: legends of football like joe montana. >> first started playing there they used to send down the photos. they had them in big metal clips and there was a wire that

>> reporter: and legends in the making like drew brees. >> track exactly who that guy is and how he got there. >> reporter: are helping to show journalists how technology has not only helped make the game better. >> so you're able to see the development of a play. >> reporter: but how it might shape the way the game is played and watched in the future. >> for the first time you can track applier's movements when he's on the field. >> reporter: -- a player's movements when he's on the field. >> reporter: with technology we already move from 1 thing to the next pretty quickly. just look at all the information now on our watches. looking good. you, too, and soon watching football live or at home will look even better. >> quickly frame it just how far everything has come in the last 25 years. >> reporter: ideas from player view to chips on players that transmit their physical information are already being floated around. >> get more stats like heart rate, hydration levels. >> reporter: and soon the live stadium experience could be sent right to your home. >> you can take like the tv and make an entire like the wall

the rest of the experience the way thatted you kind of see it as a fan -- that you'd kind of see it as a fan at the stadium. >> reporter: or as a tv experience at the stadium. >> you might miss the replay experience if you don't have that there. >> reporter: depending on what kind of technology you have in your home, some of this stuff you can already enjoy. kyle, the rest of that stuff, it looks like it's from minority report. it's going to take a few more years. >> we could stick around. matt renoux in san francisco for us, thanks. a clarification to the story involving avalanche goalkeeper semyon varlamov. we said he was found not guilty because it was a civil case. he was actually found not liable. still ahead from the west coast back to colorado kathy has an update how cold we'll get overnight. >> united in orange and united in snow, a family pays a supersize tribute to peyton manning.

of the day includes patio furniture and a beautiful back story. >> phil made his prediction. now it's the job of serious news operations like ours to investigate whether other

if life hands you snow, make a gigantic broncos snowman. they did it in grand junction. it took them six hours to build peyton and then another hour to paint the jersey and helmet. punxsutawney phil did not see his shadow. lends that means an early spring. it's a rather rare prediction. going back to 1887 phil and his

their shadow in only 17 of those years. >> animal prognostications aren't just a thing in the u.s. in ukraine they had a groundhog that also did not see his shadow. it also asked a second question this year. how will the ukrainian currency do against the u.s. dollar. there was no answer to that question. north carolina has sir walter raleigh. he has been right more often than punxsutawney phil, track record of about 55%. this year he's with the other ground hogs calling for an early spring. >> in wisconsin jimmy the groundhog made it a clean sweep also not seeing his shadow making his prediction from inside the cage. that was last year's jimmy that bit the mayor on the ear during >> yup. there he goes. >> that jimmy was released from his duties set free into the

>> that's the story they tell. >> oh, my goodness. i will say the fact that we will have more spring-like weather than winter weather is wishful thinking. i'm meteorologist kathy sabine here in the 9news backyard. we're in the throes of a really good el nino season and we have a lot of winter left to go. outside right now roads are a little icy, cloud ceiling finally raising a bit. our high today only 2 2 , the average this time of year 44 and that low this morning will be about half that tonight. as a matter of fact, at the airport right now 17 degrees, the wind chill also in the mid- teens. clear, cold in the backyard outside the studios, our numbers running colder than dia as it is now, 12 degrees here. we don't have a lot to show you on radar tonight, a completely different story than 24 hours ago. february not one of our snowier months. we typically look for 8 inches of snow on average. we've had almost a foot a couple days into the month, but heading into march and april,

regardless of what the groundhog says get ready because i think we're in for more snow. all the heavy snow and wind is tracking east of us with a low pressure area lifting to the midwest. blizzard warnings continue east of north platte up into minneapolis and chicago. we're dealing with wind and snow and ahead of it a line of severe storms from cincinnati and memphis down to jackson where tornadic thunderstorms are likely overnight tonight. while the wind gets howling out around kansas city and wichita, the wind from tornadic thunderstorms will go overnight to atlanta into panama city and head toward the carolinas tomorrow. powerful low pressure system and look how big this storm system is spanning about half of the lower 48. on the backside of it that drier northwest flow will bring us a better day tomorrow, but it stays cold. there are a few ripples in the atmosphere coming through around this high pressure ridge. so we may have a few mountain snow showers off and on, not enough to warrant winter weather advisories and a few

hard pressed to get above freezing tomorrow, northwest flow transporting moisture from the northwest to the south east. a cold night tonight, chilly day tomorrow but travel much improved with less wind and blowing snow. 0 to 10 on the plains tonight, 0 to minus 10 in the high country. tonight for lower elevations tomorrow, single elevations and teens in the high country and those of you in snow covered areas in the foothills will range from 10 to 18 degrees in nederland, grand lake and conifer. tonight clear and cold, low of 6, nice to have that sunshine. it will look nicer outside than it is. with the midweek sunshine you think we'd be warmer. we are kind of, but there's a few flurries coming in thursday to friday morning. saturday is the payoff, sunshine, 50 degrees. finally the snow and ice might

to 60 on more than one day. it will be pay past 60 for super bowl sunday. how about 71 degrees in santa clara at kickoff temperature. in the cold and snow you really got to have fun. kids are home from school, send them out. they can make a snow cave. perhaps you can't find your car. at least it's smiling at you when you try to look for it. might as well get excited about the big broncos game, kid, snowman, docks have, kids, snowmen, dogs, everybody found the way to make the most of a day. >> amy adelle, there's two of us. >> you're more unique. you're one of a kind. >> as you keep saying. >> with love. >> that's, kathy. best snow for the -- thanks, kathy. >> best snow photo of the day,

of golden -- loren anderson of golden celebrating 60 years of marriage. loren wants to send this photo

from colorado sports leader here's drew soicher. >> hi, everybody. if the broncos lose the super bowl no matter what the score, no matter what the circumstances i'm blaming ryan murphy. the practice squad safety no. 32 in white received the most humiliating and embarrassing punishment imaginable tonight getting sent home from the super bowl after being questioned in a prostitution sting in san jose. broncos head coach gary kubiak was just asked about potential troublemakers a few days ago. >> i trust my guys.

i pretty much put that in the -- they've been great all year. i pretty much put that in the captain's hands to be honest with you. our accountability has been very good. i always say it's a tough environment, but i trust them all year and i trust them again this week. >> if the broncos lose, it's murphy's fault unless, of course, it's knew sports reporter rod mackey's -- 9news sports reporter rod mackey asphalt. he's always a target. >> reporter: keep in mind we're talking about applier -- mackey is involved. he's always a target. >> keep in mind we're talking about the super bowl. the broncos don't practice on tuesday, never do, not denver and not here which means today is pretty much a nonfootball day. 10 players talked to the media. so those guys didn't get completely out of it, but beach

besides the one hour from 11:00 until noon today they were all clear to do nonsuper bowl stuff. >> we're definitely enjoying the bay area, taking me around, showing me a few things, nice restaurants and stuff. our kick it time it pretty much over, man, time to lock in now, game time, game week. >> reporter: aaron matas joins us now and the broncos are good and they're good friends. >> reporter: that's exactly right. there have been some very talented rosters the last couple years in denver and they have not all gotten to this stage. today the players told us about one of the intangibles that makes this year's team that much better. miller time started back in the offseason. >> i have a house and all my teammates are always there. we spend a lot of time together. it's like the college atmosphere. we played the game all day, spend a lot of time together. >> reporter: thursdays during ota's von opened up his bachelor pad to the team.

on the team just stop by and have chili. that's something i never really did with no other team, but i think that kind of brings you together as a group, man. >> reporter: it's hard to predict a group that will bond when assembling a team. >> outside of football we know how to be. we go hang out. we go to dinner, hang out at people's houses. i think that builds comradery because you're able to know who the person you're talking to. you know how to talk to them and how they'll respond. so when you talk to somebody, they don't feel like you're attacking them. you're just saying hey, let's go. >> reporter: it's all helped build a chemistry previous broncos teams have lacked. >> it's part of us hanging out off the field. we're just comfortable with each other. >> reporter: interesting to hear that today, but the broncos will not have an advantage sunday. anybody that's watched the panthers this year knows they are not lacking in the chemistry department. >> reporter: and not lacking in the confidence department either.

you and i. >> you fake it well and that's all this matters on tv. avalanche lost their first tonight. the defending stanley cup champion blackhawks beat them the third straight time. hawks scored twice in the first seven minutes and beat the avalanche 2-1. the broncos took the lead on sunday night when they arrived first in san francisco for the super bowl. i thought the panthers tied the game last night by having a much better performance, more fun, more quotable at the opening night ceremony and then tonight the broncos fall back one because of this troublemaker ryan murphy getting sent back home. i didn't think the panthers took the lead. i thought the broncos lost the tie. heading into tomorrow hopefully the broncos can tie it back up

how about that sunshine, 28, sunshine, 28, sunshine 34. 50 on saturday. >> i thought you said 70? >> that's in santa clara. >> 9news super bowl update next. tonight show follows afterwards. you won't miss any of that.