chris palone is in boston with the latest. >> reporter: the flakes are flying in boston. schools and businesses closed ahead of the first big winter storm of 2018. a powerful nor'easter battering the east from florida to maine. >> wicked bad, wicked cold, that's for sure. >> reporter: millions of americans under blizzard watches and warnings. >> we're all hearty new englanders, but it's pretty important for everybody to pay attention and be prepared for the impacts of this storm. >> reporter: massachusetts road crews spread salt and sand to prepare, but at it's height, snow could fall at two or three inches per hour. >> we got two two feet of snow every weekend, this will just be a little storm. >> reporter: people cleared the shelves at grocery stores worried about being stuck at home for a few days. >> i've lived in new england my whole life, sometimes i wonder, oh my goodness. >> reporter: schools are closed in new york city, a rare move in the nationest largest. the city expected up to eight inches of snow. >> make sure you've got lots of layers on and plan accordingl

chris palone, nbc news, boston. >> and, of course, this weather is not just tough on us humans. whether they're at the zoo or at your house, animals need special protection from this cold. we can't say this enough. handly is in the newsroom now with a look at what is' coming up at 5:00. >> my dog has been going on very short walks with a very short leash this week. >> i bet he has. >> wendy, the pandas love it, bison and tigers do, too. like your pets, there are plenty of animals that can't stand the cold and need help. coming up at 5:00, amee cho talks about what to do to keep them safe. who doesn't love a good bargain. what do you do when you can't wait for a sale or coupon to help you snag a discount? coming up consumer reporter susan hogan tells you how to haggle to get the deal. we'll have all this and more news at 5:00. like to do. see you in a bit. >> david letterman gets ready for a comeback. where and when you can see him and who he landed for his first interview that you'll see all over the news next week. >> and the flu, update on this rapidly worsening season as well

nbc's chris palone shows us some of these gadgets which we could wind up using for decades to come. >reporter: the tech industry is running into the future. trying to solve problems like finding a lost dog. >> come on, let's go for a walk. >> reporter: and making motorcycle helmets safer. >> it's the patented rearview camera right through. >> reporter: to improving transportation, batteries getting smaller and more powerful making electric scooters and single wheel devices good for use many miles. >> it's really about being a true vehicle, something that can solve a real need in your life. meeting, going to school, getting around town. >> reporter: so easy to use a total novice could start riding in a couple minutes. >> no athletic skill or dexterity and the ankles of a small deer. and the fact that i didn't shoot at 20 miles an hour off the sidewalk and into a bmw is really a win here today. and that is the ultimate advance of technology. into household products like appliances and tvs. >> show me stranger things on netflix. >> many of us are used to alexa and alexa is winning right

in las vegas, chris palone, nbc news. >> always so fascinating. >> so cool, so much fun. you have to go -- >> i could see you big time. >> i love that show. that is just so much fun to go and see where technology is taking us over the next couple of years. fascinating. >> you'll be able to use it in forecasting days and nights like these. >> you know, and this is great. i came into work today. amelia is with me. she'll join at 4:45. so nice to not have anything going on, not have a weather alert day, talk about nice weather, something we have not been able to do for weeks. take a look outside. we have chopper up and running outside. blue skies, look at that. just a gorgeous-looking shot and, man, we have not seen something like this for quite sometime. temperatures right now, well, they're on the cool side, but well above average. our average high is 44 degrees. right now we're sitting at 50 degrees. winds out of the north at 10 miles per hour. that wind going to be shifting a bit, making things cooler tomorrow, but still quite nice. 48 martinsburg, 47 in honeytown. this

chris palone, nbc news, boston. >> well, we know a lot of you will be spending a lot of time indoors this weekend because of the bitter cold. and maybe looking for things to do. so, how do you pass the time, doreen? >> building -- i could build fires in the fireplace, watch netflix or even go to the movies. >> and you build a fire, you chop the wood? >> no, i don't chop the wood, but i am the fire builder in my house. >> there you go. >> all right. >> i like to crank up that keurig nonstop. play with the dog, too. >> doug? >> and i'm a board game with the family type of guy. i love -- have you guys played the monopoly empire game? >> no. >> it's a pretty cool version. remember monopoly you'd start iter to hours and be like -- i'm done with this. >> quicker? >> it's so much quicker. you can get done with it in 20, 30 minutes. >> and start over again? >> then you start over. >> i like that. >> i don't let my kids win. you heard me say that before. >> he does not let up. >> no. >> so, we wanted to know, are you planning to hibernate at home or go out this weekend? we'll look at the flas

. >>> chris palone has the latest. >>> it appears usa gym nnasticss cleaning house.ntire 20-person board will resign in the wake of the sex scandal. they write "our position comes from a clear sense of the usga culture needing fundamental rebuilding. they responded they completely embrace the requirements outlined. >> i just signed your death warrant. >> the days after a judge sentenced dr. larry nassar for sexually assaulting young women he was treating. more than 150 people people addressed him at the trial. >> we're not going to stop until everyone accountable is accountable for their actions. >> he was not licensed to practice medicine in texas where he was a trainer at the usa gymnastics training center until last week. the owners of the training center denied any knowledge of the abuse as well has mark hollis. he is the second michigan state official to step aside after the scandal. the school's president resigned on wednesday. >> i have a daughter here. i have a daughter that had dreams of coming here, and i want her to feel safe, i want all of our daughters t

. >> nbc news chris palone is in boston where fast moving snow is causing whiteout conditions there. chris? >> reporter: hi there, wendy and leon. that's right, millions here in the northeast are un as a matter of fact, the national weather service said that this officially is a blizzard, more than three hours with winds over 35 miles an hour, low visibility, heavy blowing snow. that's what we've seen all day long. but it's not just the snow that government officials are concerned with. they say they're also concerned with wind and water. the snow came and the flood waters followed. a midday high tide right when snow and wind became the most intense since storm surge crashing and homes on the massachusetts south shore. >> i've never seen this before. this is really cool and crazy to see these waves. >> reporter: storm surge rushed ashore in downtown boston turning state street into a river of ice and slush. many towns with low lying areas with rescues of people caught off guard. >> this is cold for sure. >> reporter: in all 16 inches of snow expected in boston, moren >> just seems lik