Nearblizzard conditions is slamming the east coast. 90 Million People between the midwest and new england are in its path. Nbc meteorologist bill karins is here in new york. And richard lui is in boston. Lets get to it, shall we . Bill, this seems like a doublewhammy, snow and bonechilling cold weather. And the wintertime in the northeast gets usually one or the other. You can get the snowstorms or you can get really cold air. This is a combination of the two. Something that hasnt been seen in maybe a couple of decades in this region. We are looking at the highest snowfall totals just north of boston. 24 inches reported in two feet of powdery snow in boxford, massachusetts. Boston, 14 inches, albany, providence, philly and new york, ranging between five to eight inches and the Nations Capital has picked up an inch and a half and none of it has melted. Snow has stopped in baltimore, ending in philadelphia. Another hour or two in new york city. It will all be done. And its starting to wind down albany and hartford, boston out on the cape is where the blizzard conditions are. Weve got gusts right now to 44 on cape cod, 44 at marthas vineyard. And its a light, powdery snow, reports of snowdrifts in many areas. Thankfully the winds will come down in the afternoon as the storm pulls away. Same for new jersey and Greater New York city. Even central park, gusts of 37 miles per hour. So these wind chill values are just really the thing thats so difficult out there, betty. Were still watching those well into the negative numbers. Theyre frighteningly low. Lets get to the blizzardlike conditions in boston. Where more than a foot of snow and frigid temperatures are causing havoc. Our richard lui is in the thick of all of it. And joins us now live. Good morning, richard. Good morning, to you, betty. As bill was talking about, those high gusting winds, reports of areas south of boston, up to 55 miles per hour. What were seeing around here is about 2025 miles per hour. And when we check our little thermometers here at the site, its about 3 or 4 degrees, but youve got to deduct 20 degrees from that. When the wind chill hits us, well below zero. So the kind of snow were seeing is very light. And you can tell when you look at just some of the plowed snow, its fluffy, its like that. Beautiful champagne powder that you get when youre in states such as colorado. And what theyve been doing all night is keeping the plows working. Over 3,300 of them working at midnight at that time, according to the Massachusetts Department of transportation. And thats why theyve been able to keep the roads clear. So when the businesses start to open, people start to get to work, well see how it works out. For people themselves, its doggone cold, take a listen. Its cold, its very, very cold. It is freezing. Im layered up. I have four pairs of pants on and four sweatshirts, so im cold. Theres the onshore wind. Theres the Flood Warning that exists here, 150 miles of the coast back to me. Because the wind is come this way, pushing the water onshore. And just for fun, what i did was put a bottle of water out about an hour ago, hard as a rock. Thats why folks are not working today. And theyre staying home. Im sure that didnt take long for it to freeze over. The good news is im hearing cars and what maybe what, sanding trucks behind you, nearby . These are all the plows working, theyre definitely working hard. It will be a busy day. And the storm is snarling travel across the country. In the air, more than 1400 flights are already canceled nationwide. The airports, most impacted all right, listen up, jfk, which is currently completely closed. Along with newarks liberty, laguardia, boston logan and philadelphia. Also being impacted. We want to give you a live look, check this out. These are all the flights currently in the air at this hour. So be sure to check with your airline before you head out this morning. On the ground, though, a state of emergency in new york, Governor Andrew Cuomo ordering three major highways closed overnight. Theyre expected to reopen this morning. All Public Schools in boston, philadelphia and new york city are all closed today. So kiddos, you have a snow day as they say. All right. Were going to move on now to other news this morning in a big vote coming monday on capitol hill. Thats when the senate is scheduled to decide whether to extend longterm unemployment benefits. Insurance was not included in last years bipartisan budget deal. So it actually ran out last week for more than a million unemployed americans. After the senate, the bill heads to the house. But the Senate Majority leader, harry reid, worries it might run into trouble with hardline conservatives. President obama has urged lawmakers to pass the measure as soon as possible. And speaking of the president , he spent day 13 of his hawaiian vacation on the golf course. This time joined by another world leader. John key, the Prime Minister of new zealand hit the links with the president on the island of oahu. Keys teenaged son joined them. There are no reports of holes in one. But plenty of high fives to go around. So it sounds like the golf game was going pretty well. Were learning more about the capture of a brazen fugitive. Aubrey lee price was once a georgia bank director, and actually a minister as well. Well, now hes facing charges for an alleged multimillion dollar investment fraud. When he was arrested, he told the officer quote, i am going to make you famous. Nbcs mark potter has the story. Aubrey lee price was denied bond as a flight risk. Authorities in georgia say price told them since disappearing a year and a half ago, he been homeless, working menial jobs. But florida Officials Say he actually rented a house near ocala where hundreds of Marijuana Plants were grown. Price was last seen in june 2012, as he was buying a ticket for a ferry boat ride in key west, florida. Federal Authorities Say after raising 40 million from more than 100 investors and suffering massive losses, price then fraudulently obtained over 21 million, of bank funds, which he then misappropriated, embezzled and lost in a lengthy confession letter, he wrote i am 100 responsible for the losses i created and suggested he was going to kill himself. A year ago, a florida judge declared price legally dead. Ruling he took his life at sea. But price was still alive. His time on the run ending tuesday, along i95 in brunswick, georgia, when gepties noticed his trucks window tinting was too dark. We want to get more on this winter storm with meteorologist bill karins. Youre back for good reason. We got a lot to talk about. Everyone in the east is going to kind of blame the west. Because the west is thats where it came from. No, the opposite. The west is actually been warm and dry. And its been bringing all the cold air from canada to the east and the middle of the country. That hasnt changed. We had temperatures yesterday at international falls, high temperatures in the negative 20 range. At the same time it was 100 degrees warmer in los angeles at 81 degrees. 77 in phoenix. I mean its just really a lot of contrasts across the country. As we did have the storm system move through the pacific northwest, along with the frontal boundary, its clear through seattle, we still have a chance of maybe a few sprinkles or showers out there. Still with a little bit of onshore flow. But temperatures continue to be very mild today. 74 phoenix, 73 in los angeles. So you know, if everyone is wondering where the warm air is, and the dry air, thats where it is. California. Thats your national degrees, well try to get you a good deal of sunshine this afternoon. So again, the forecast in the west where they need the rain, they wouldnt mind some snow in the mountains no sign of it yet. Compared to what were dealing with, theres no complaints out there, right . They have the right. Making progress john kerrys push for peace in the middle east. Plus Michael Douglas and catherine decezetajones, toget again . Welcome back, everybody. Former president george h. W. Bush tweeted for the third time ever thursday. Giving a shoutout to president s obama and clinton. Mr. Bush thanked them for their get well wishes and advice for barbara and cracked a little joke saying she doesnt take the advice of every president she knows. A spokesman for the bush family sent out a tweet saying mrs. Bush is doing great. He noted shes excited to get home to her dogs and oh yeah, her husband, too. Secretary of state, john kerry, met with israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netenyahu thursday to further middle east peace talks, while acknowledging peace is an uphill battle, kerry showed optimism. We are now five full months into this negotiation. We have always known that achieving peace is a long and complicated process. Its a tough road. But this is not mission impossible. Today secretary kerry meets with palestinian president , mahmoud abbas. Former defense secretary robert gates actually suffered a fractured vertebrae after falling in his home new years day. Hell be sporting a neck brace on his upcoming book tour. It seems like the stock market has a new years hangover, if you will. After hitting record after record in 2013, u. S. Stocks slumped on the first day of 2014 trading on thursday. The Dow Jones Industrials lost 135 points to close at 16441. General mills says its begun manufacturing its original flavored cheerios without genetically modified ingredients. The change does not apply to any other cheerios flavors. And marijuana sales in colorado, they were so brisk during the first days of legalized recreational smoking, that the famous Ice Cream Team of ben and jerrys tweeted out this image with the message, breaking news, were hearing of Stores Selling out of ben and jerrys in colorado. Whats up with that . I think you know whats up with that. Got the munchies, huh . The daily beast has compiled a list of the happiest colleges in america. Based on freshmen retention, Student Experience and would they do it all again. Topping the list is texas a m university. With stanford a close second. Then the university of wisconsin, Florida State university, and finally, the university of North Carolina at chapel hill, rounding out our top five of happiest colleges in america. Just ahead, get ready for subzero football as the wild card weekend kicks off in the nfl, we have the details, next. Cold day in times square this morning. Controversial surgery, more teens are turning to Plastic Surgery to escape bullying. But is that really the answer . Now for some sports action, it was a major upset in the sugar bowl. 11thranked oklahoma against number three alabama. In the second, the sooners led by four when aj mccarron answers with a 67yard touchdown play. Oklahomas qb Trevor Knight with this cannon to take the lead back, 2417. Mccarron throws an interception with about a minute left and thats time for the sooners to get another touchdown. Oklahoma leads 3117 at the half. Bama keeps it close with an incredible 61yard run by derek henry and with seconds left, the ball is stripped from mccarrons hands and ran in for a sooners touchdown. Oklahoma 45, alabama 31. Its wild card weekend in the nfl saturday. The chiefs with a two and a halfpoint spread to take on the colts, then the eagles also with the same spread, favored to beat the saints. And on sunday, the chargers take on the sevenpoint underdogs bengals and the 9ers will descend on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field in green bay where the temperature will dip to minus 30 by kickoff time. The coldest game on record in fact was the 1967 ice bowl at lambeau, against the cowboys. 13 below with a wind chill of minus 48. Now to the best of the best, beating out tiger woods by five votes, adam scott was named golfer, or golfs player of the year by the Golf Writers Association of america. Check out this graffiti on ice. The shock and thunder of the east Coast Hockey League turned the rink into art. Kids and their parents painted the ice ahead of the thunders match tonight. The goal was to let kids exercise their creativity, which they did they interacted with the players. In the nba, the nets joe johnson with a an incredible buzzer beater. He rains it has the clock hits zero. And kevin durant isnt playing nice. Not even against his own niece. A mean block as youre about to see right here, bam. Whopping up on my shortie is what he wrote on mine. Ouch, cant you just let her win one . Just ahead, which movie has the record for dropping the most f bombs . Ill give you a hint, its not scarface plus bill is back with details of the winter storm. Its not oftenky say that people in hawaii can complain about the weather, but we have a cold front moving through, numerous areas of showers and downpours went through honolulu overnight, passing through maui. Youll see a brief period of inclement weather as it pushes through and it will clear out on the back side. You can see honolulu weather will improve throughout the day. By the way right now fairbanks, alaska, 11 degrees, tied with new york city, who is also 11 degrees. Thanks for reminding us, bill. Could Michael Douglas and Catherine Zetajones be reconciling . They were seen skiing with their two children in canada this week. This comes after announcing their separation back in august. Vin diesel started 2014 reflecting on his friendship with the late paul walker. The actor said on facebook he accomplished so much by 2013 and there is a painful void with walkers absence. The wolf of wall street has broken one Silver Screen record, not box office but does hold the title for most fwords in a single film with 506 f bombs. The record was previously held by the 1999 film summer of sam. With 435 fbombs. A couple at a bar in salt lake city, sounds like a joke, but its not. When they found out that samesex marriage was legalized in utah so decided to marry on the spot. One of the bars coowners happens to be modern family actor ty burrell who served as a witness. And comedian tom arnold lost 89 pounds, he lost the weight through giving up carbs and intense workout regimen. Would you recognize him . Probably not. Arnold lost the pounds so he could be around for his son, jack. Seth myers graces the first 2014 cover of time magazine, talking about his new latenight show, he cited major comedians, like david letterman, conan obrien and jimmy fallon who started their latenight gigs on the 12 35 timeslot before him on nbc. Im betty nguyen, this is early today, we hope its just your first stop of the day on nbc. Leading the news in the San Jose Mercury news, california legal immigrants can get law licenses, state Supreme Court rules. It was a unanimous decision bn the court saying there was no reason to block one mans pursuit to become a lawyer, even though hes not yet a citizen. And on nbc news. Com, internet search for time travelers turns up nothing this time. Really . You dont think . Scientists say they might miss hints of information flowing backward in time, including a simple oversight to the influence of get this a cosmic chronology protection agency, well keep you posted on that. In the news, florida congressman trey radel will return to work on capitol hill next week. It will be the republicans first time back at work since being charged with possession of cocaine in october. Radel pleaded guilty to the charge in november and was sentenced to one year probation. He took a leave of absence and entered rehab. We want to take a look at this massive blaze at a Southern California lumber yard. Officials say at least 100 firefighters battled the flames. Thankfully, no injuries and the cause is still being investigated. And a case of life imitating art. Perhaps. A florida man who won a contest to watch the breaking bad finale with cast members is arrested on drug charges. Officials say 28yearold Ryan Lee Carroll was running an interstate synthetic marijuana distribution operation. Lessons learned on the show . Maybe . One man found a bizarre way to combat boredom at work. Hes been using his bosss dog who comes to work every day and recreating famous movie love scenes during lunch break. Lunch break. The photo is a favorite. But also look at these, wrigleys owner and reddit readers are loving these pictures. He began recreating the deck scene from titanic and its also grown from there. I think thats sixteen candles. Some of are a little creepy. Like the top gun one where theyre almost kissing . Weird. A meeting today with a federal magistrate on the fate of a braindead california girl. The family of 13yearold jahi mcmath wants her kept alive and moved to a new york facility after complications from a tonsil operation last month. Saturday is the seventh anniversary of historic first in congress, as reported by nbc nightly news. Madam speaker High Pressure hi history was made today, that phrase was used for the first time ever, when nancy pelosi of california was elected speaker of the house and when her party took control from the republicans for the first time in 12 years. Now keep it here today mark as crucial day in the east bay familys fight to keep a 13yearold on a ventilator. Why a federal court may have the final say as to whether jahi mcmath can be moved to a Long Term Care facility. Up in flames, fire crews still on the scene of an overnight fire near a popular Shopping Center in the north bay. Why police were called to this spot just yesterday. Taking the meaning of frigid football to a new level. Why the 49ers packers showdown could make history for what happens off the field. A live look outside. Beautiful pictures of the bay bridge. Friday, january 3, this is today in the bay