no emergency, a major snowstorm arriving in just a few hours. the rush to prepare for what could be the biggest storm of the season. good evening. i'm jacqueline london. >> the first flakes haven't even started to fall, but schools are already closing for tomorrow. >> that includes philadelphia public schools and administrative offices. all archdiocese and parochial schools in the city also closed. this doesn't necessarily include to the schools in the suburbs. we have the closures running on the bottom of the screen. >> the snow emergency begins an hour from now. you have to move your car from snow emergency routes to avoid being towed. >> they're shutting down state

offices and government offices in camden county, like camden city hall. >> drivers should be careful during the storm. >> we have team coverage tracking the storm neighborhood by neighborhood. with ebegin with chief meteorologist glenn "hurricane" schwartz. what can we expect? >> we'll be getting a pretty big snowstorm in time for the morning rush. i know it was in the 60s today. it doesn't seem like it's possible, but it is. it has happened before. most recently about ten years ago. if it's happened before, it can happen again. and all indications are it will. heaviest snow between 5:00 and 9:00 a.m. peak snow at two to three inches per hour, with possible thunder snow, low visibilities, making travel really treacherous for at least a short period of time.

about 1:30, 2:00 in the morning, the snow is already starting in the lehigh valley and berks county. eventually rain will change over, close to a changeover in parts of the philadelphia area. by 6:00 a.m., it's clearly changed over to snow. and that is probably about the peak of the storm. 6:00, 7:00, 8:00 a.m. getting some of the heaviest snow. you also see it ending from the west by 10:00 a.m. this is not an all-day event. it's mostly just the morning thing. if you adjust your schedules, to be able to get through the day okay. 6 to 10 inches overall in the areas north of the pennsylvania turnpike. generally 4 to 8 inches across philadelphia, trenton, wilmington areas. we'll get into the snow totals in your neighborhood coming up. >> we're getting up early

tomorrow to help you through the storm, it starts at 4:00 a.m. >> a live look at the schuylkill expressway. road crews will be busy while you're sleeping. but they're warning you, the morning rush, it's going to be messy. >> drew smith is in north town with the salt and plow game plan. and how it could have a longer-term effect on your driving. >> reporter: i'm standing on the salt pile which will be busy starting at midnight tonight. now, we're told they're trying to get all this salt out on the roads to try to prevent accidents in the morning. but tonight, we found out that our winter weather swings, it feels real nice out here, combined with a use of a lot of this snow, will help commuter headaches down the line. commuters are mentally preparing for what they'll wake up to. >> just take it easy, and drive safe. and stay calm. >> i don't work until 10:30, so

hopefully they'll get the roads cleared up in time. >> reporter: patience will be key. it involves a lot of salt before, during and after the storm. the frequent transition from mild to snow producing temperatures could help grow the number of potholes this season. >> inside this device. >> reporter: direction el university professor studies road material. he even listens to concrete cracking from erratic temperature changes, and salt only accelerates the process. >> they'll add more salt, more salt. the concentration, and then you get the reaction. >> reporter: farnum is working to create the concrete of the future, what's called a phase change material, kind of like a heated pavement. >> it can release that stored energy, or heat to melt ice and snow. >> reporter: unfortunate the

technological innovations aren't here on our highways just yet. i'm told the crews will begin mobilizing within the hour in the western parts of our area. drew smith, nbc 10 news. crews work to put out a front end lowered fire, happened on valley forge road. the driver wasn't hurt. we don't know what caused the fire. the snow is already creating a mess for air travelers. at last check more than 200 flights had already been canceled. >> snowstorms also mean a bump in business at grocery stores. we see this all the time. nbc 10 on city avenue where shoppers were stocking up on those last-minute items. that's not the only way people in our area are getting ready. >> keith jones is live in plymouth meeting. >> reporter: it is the final countdown, a lot of people flock to the lowe's behind me for the

essentials. they also bought the items to protect their home and in turn their wallets. matthew bought this brand-new snow blower during a repeat of this winter blast last year. >> it was a lot of trouble getting through this alleyway. i was stuck in the house for about four days. >> reporter: now he's prepared with salt and a shovel. >> this right here is the ice melt. >> reporter: at a nearby lowe's -- >> around this time everybody's getting off work. >> reporter: assistant manager said it's been a rush for the usual items. not to mention doors that have gaps and cracks, windows need to be sealed. she takes customers to hardware for door sweeps -- >> what we sell here is insulation. the different window sizes. >> reporter: peel a strip and affix it to a gap? >> yes. >> reporter: fox inspected the windows of his own home where

heat can escape and cold air can rush in. a routine inspection for a lot of people tonight. >> trying to seal up so it doesn't have any air blowing through the windows and doors. >> reporter: if you do that, you can see the difference in your electric bill. this lowe's opens up at 6:00 a.m., and they'll stay open for as long as it takes to serve their customers. keith jones, nbc 10 news. >> maybe they'll be busy in the morning, keith. well, now is the time to get ahead of this storm. download the nbc 10 app, sign up for school closing alerts and find a guide to snow emergencies in your neighborhood. breaking news in north hampton county. a woman was hit and run over near the palmer park mall just two hours ago. the driver took off after that crash. the woman died. police have not released any information about the driver's vehicle. new at 11:00, a teenager shot outside a rec center in south philadelphia. police broke up a large argument

at the bear community center, but everyone came back. what started as a fist fight ended as a shooting. a 17-year-old was shot. he's in stable condition now. the shooter was caught on surveillance video. also new at 11:00, senator jeff sessions will officially be sworn in tomorrow morning as the next u.s. attorney general. late this afternoon, the senate confirmed sessions after a long and bitter battle. >> i'm so impressed by this good man, this good and decent man's commitment to protecting all members of our society and his sense of fairness. >> they are cramming terrible nominees down the throats of the american people. >> nancy pelosi's team tweeted out this message tonight. we will not be disheartened. jeff sessions doesn't stand a chance against our team of persistent progressives. as for sessions tonight, he said he hopes the intensity of the senate debate will die down and, maybe somehow we can get along

better. >> judge neill gorsuch said, quote, that a judge was called a so-called judge. >> i don't want to call a court biased. we haven't had a decision yet. but courts seem to be so political. >> judge gorsuch made the rounds on capitol hill today. he met with senators from both parties. you can add nordstrom to the list of companies that president trump has lashed out at on twitter. nordstrom will no longer carry ivanka trump's clothing or accessories. that didn't go over well with the president. my daughter ivan ka has been treated unfairly by nordstrom. she's a great person, always pushing me to do the right thing. terrible. bob casey replied to mr. trump's

tweet by retweeting it and cc'ing the office of ethics handle. they issued a statement saying senator casey feels it is unethical and inappropriate for the president to lash out at a private company for refusing to enrich his family. muslims and jews joined in solidarity to voice their frustrations over the travel ban, and the president's call for a border wall. victims of the market street collapse will receive $227 million in a settlement reached today. 19 plaintiffs, including the families of seven people who were killed in the june 2013 collapse will split that money. attorneys say it may be the largest personal injury settlement in pennsylvania history. carjacking charges for the naked man accused of stealing a taxi, and tearing through riten hour square on sunday. the driver told police the man grand the woman by the hair and

pulled her to the ground. when the driver got out to help her, he said the man took off his clothes, jumped in the cab and took off. a safety system for trains will be up and running on the new jersey transit line before a federal deadline. the transit system's executive director said positive train control will be installed by that december 2018 deadline. new jersey transit did not have the braking system when a train crashed in hoboken back in september. investigators are looking into whether that was a factor in the crash. one person died and more than 100 others were hurt. ramping up efforts to get riders into the key program beginning tomorrow. they'll see more fare kiosks around the county. they can use them on subways, buses and trolleys. i'm tracking this major snowstorm bearing down on us right now. you can see it on the radar. i'll take a closer look at what you can expect in your neighborhood. your most accurate forecast is

straight ahead. this is what it looked like earlier today. people out enjoying record warm temperatures. but find out why this weather roller coaster could leave you paying more at the grocery store. high wire act goes terribly wrong that left several performers seriously injured. courtside chaos, what left a former nba bad boy thrown right out of madison square garden.

major snowstorm heading our way. the storm that will slam parts of our area in just a matter of hours. we'll take a look at the impact where you live neighborhood by neighborhood in about three minutes. in the meantime, school closings there at the bottom of your screen. equal pay in pennsylvania. the gop-controlled senate

advanced a bill that would bar employers from retaliating against employees who complain about pay equity. the legislation would also undo philadelphia's two-week-old ban on employers asking applicants for their salary history. democrats say killing the ban would actually set back pay equity efforts. republicans disagree saying there is no proof it would improve pay equity. a community is considering getting into the medical marijuana growing business. >> the board of commissioners voted to move forward for a medical marijuana facility. the ordinance is for growing only and not sales. a happy hour in center city to raise money for a local elementary school. the foundation helps support them. they will give the money to jackson elementary.

a lot of moving and grooving tonight at the senior's cupid ball. celebrating valentine's day a few days early at the meyers recreation center. back to our top story, the major snowstorm heading our way tomorrow. even though we had record warmth today. >> a weather roller coaster. that could leave you paying more at the grocery store. brandon hudson explains why. >> this is our farm in germantown. it's 2 1/2 acres. >> reporter: some of the crops like this kale are almost ready for harvest. >> we feel like we could plant tomorrow. >> reporter: a misleading feeling caused by the extreme cold/warm springs this winter. some crops are okay, but there's a slight concern for others which harvest later in the year. >> in the wintertime we rely on a couple of periods of really cold temperatures for pest management. >> reporter: that's because they don't use pesticide.

they said it hasn't been cold long enough to kill off pests or disease. it could lead to crop infestations by spring which may impact the supply-and-demand and price of produce at the grocery store. >> i would like to see a couple of real nice cold snaps. >> reporter: after the produce leaves the farm, it comes here to the co-op. if we don't get enough cold weeks, it could be the difference between what you can buy and what you can't. >> i have bananas -- >> reporter: last-minute shopping before the snowstorm. she said now that she's a mom, she's more aware of the fluctuating prices of produce. >> in the past i didn't pay so much attention to prices or demand. but now i am. >> reporter: back at the farm, they're hopeful for some prolonged cold weather. >> i'm comfortable if it's in the low teens for a while. >> reporter: so far, it's only been the low teens for a few days this winter. in germantown, brandon hudson, nbc 10 news. tomorrow's weather will impact everyone. but being prepared is essential.

>> let's go to first alert meteorologist glenn "hurricane" schwartz. the storm getting closer on the radar there. >> the rain is getting very close and the snow's not that far behind. this system can definitely fool you, if you get up early, look out the window, it's raining, or snow is melting. it's not going to be that much. things are going to change rapidly tomorrow morning. take a look at the area of snow. also, look at the back edge. it has really traveled far to the east in just three hours. that means that system is racing eastward, it's going to start fast but it's also going to end fast. it's not going to be an all-day storm. but between 5:00 and 9:00 a.m., it's going to be snowing hard, at least in parts of the area. up to two to three inches per hour with possible thunder snow, and low visibility and that snow sticking. by 2:00 a.m., we're already starting to see a little bit of snow. especially in berks county,

lehigh valley. 4:00 a.m., it's getting closer to philadelphia and trenton. by 5:30, 6:00, it's through the philadelphia area. and by 7:00, it's all the way down to vineland and dover and almost to atlantic city. so the spientire area is going see the snow. look at it ending from the west. this is a very small fast-moving storm. but it's a powerful one. it's got a lot of motion that will bring the cold air down and change rain to snow like that. and the temperature will go down accordingly. and the afternoon, things will improve dramatically, as the sun comes out and the snow starts melting, and the roads get better. it won't be an all-day thing. now, 5:00 a.m., question is going to be, how much is rain or snow. in the philadelphia area. because by 7:00 to 9:00, it's definitely going to be snowing,

and snowing hard. look how quickly it gets lighter and the conditions improve. the high amounts of snow to the north and west. 6 to 10 inches. in the middle area here, 4 to 8 inches, abington, brookhaven, westchester. now through much of chester county. water park, mount laurel, philadelphia itself in the four to eight-inch category. farther north you are, the more snow's going to fall. pemberton, mount laurel, also 4 to 8, as well as toms river and lbi. farther to the south, more rain mixed in, warmer, more snow melts. 2 to 4 inches. middletown, smyrna, salem, in new jersey, and farther to the south, two inches. most of it melts because the temperature stays above the

freezing mark. and it's still incredibly warm. but once snow starts falling heavily, the snow's falling on top of other snowflakes, not on the warm roads. so yes, it can stick. and yes, it's going to start feeling like winter again. by 8:00 a.m., it's feeling like it's in the teens. and by tomorrow night, feeling like the single digits. so anything that melts, all the slush refreezes. >> so many reasons to keep it on nbc 10 to keep you prepared. the accident that seriously injured some world famous performers.

in florida tonight, five performers who plunged to the ground from a high wire are rofg from their injuries. they were practicing an

eight-man pyramid at the time of the accident. nick wallenda was serving as the anchor, but he did not fall. two of the injured are in critical condition. doctors, though, expect everyone to survive. penn state wants another date in court. >> the school wants the verdict in favor of a former assistant coach overturned. the university said the judge in the mike mcqueary civil case gave the jury misinformation. they want a new trial date set. mcqueary was awarded more than $12 million for defamation and other violations for his treatment after jerry sandusky's arrest. the sixers hang tough against brett brown's mentor. that game ahead. and unbelievable scene at madison square garden tonight in new york city. you do not want to miss this video of a knicks great. it's coming up next. afoot and light-hearted i take to the open road.

healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path before me leading wherever i choose. the east and the west are mine. the north and the south are mine. all seems beautiful to me. everything naand it doesn't take is so wholesothe whole paycheck. giant's exclusive nature's promise. eat well for less. my giant. kept coming back in different places. we went from everything being fine to everything not being fine. i really needed someone who could think outside the box. we did the genomic testing pretty early in christine's course. with our treatments we've had great success for her. they gave me treatment options i didn't know about before.

there's an atmosphere of hope. i want to be around just to be a grandma. the evolution of cancer care is here. learn more at cancercenter.com/philadelphia appointments available now. dave this fios party is da bomb! fo shizzle! it's tv totally ahead of its time. yo, let me check that. oh snap. that x1 voice remote is crunk! and it lets me search with the sound of my voice. what should i watch? things have come a long way since you got fios. [nervously laughs] what's fios? fios has fallen behind. don't fall with it. xfinity x1 will change the way you experience tv.

yeah. we love low prices. no bones about it. [ laughter ] thousands of blue tags. thousands of low prices. my giant.

i'm amy from csn. sixers hosting the spurs tonight. the sixers hung tough in this one. oak a fur getting the start. okafor taking on danny green right to the rack. 20 points, 8 points for okafor. one of the best all-around players in the league. 30 points. later in the fourth, tony parker, kicking it over to a wide-open green. 111-103. madison square garden tonight, knicks-clippers. former knick great charles oakley forcibly removed from the building and he was arrested.

oakley was apparently unhappy by his treatment by the franchise and refused to stop when asked. it got physical. it took about five or six guards to remove him from the garden. the eagles relief quarterback played for one season for the birds. we'll be right back after this.

the amount of snow in a short period of time is the real difference maker here. >> an unusual storm because of the fact that it's moving so fast, and the heavy snow is only

going to last for a few hours. but during that period of time, during the morning rush, that's when conditions get really bad. you can see a large area, 6 to 10 inches north of pennsylvania turnpike, 4 to 8 inches around trenton and wilmington area, to the south more of it will be rain. higher temperatures causing more melting. conditions will improve dramatically during the afternoon. >> we're on early at 4:00 a.m. be sure to have the app. thanks for watching. good night, and stay safe. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> steve: from studio 6b in rockefeller center in the heart of new york city, it's "the tonight show starring jimmy fallon." tonight, join jimmy and his guests -- seth meyers, dev patel, musical guest, kid cudi,