Good evening. And from here at the olympic winter games we begin back home tonight with an enormous winter storm. Heres how forecasters at the National Weather service describe what is sliding up from the south and west to the north and east. Quote, confidence is increasing in an event of historical proportions. Prepare now for this potentially crippling event. Here is the map tonight of the individual counties that are under watches and warnings. Its a rain, snow and ice event. But its the ice they really fear will be crippling. Tonight theyre sending up Hurricane Hunter aircraft to look at it from aloft. 93 million americans in the path of this one. There are states of emergency in five different southern states, including georgia, so hard hit by that last snowfall. We have it all covered for you tonight. Al roker is here with us. But first, to mark potter in atlanta to start us off. Hey, mark, good evening. Reporter good evening, brian. The bad weather is now expected to hit atlanta sometime early tomorrow morning. The only good news, is that allows officials and residents just a little more time to prepare. Late this afternoon, trucks loaded with salt and gravel hit the roads to get ahead of the upcoming storm. Part of a massive effort to avoid what happened two weeks ago when 2. 6 inches of snow brought this city to a grinding halt. Atlanta is on high alert and is being warned the storm hitting early tomorrow morning and throughout the day could be long remembered. Travel is going to be impossible. And this is going to be a catastrophic event for the areas in purple. Reporter in a city known for its hilly neighborhoods and many trees, ice is the major threat. This is one of mother natures worst kinds of storms that can be inflicted on the south. Reporter when ice accumulates, it can topple trees on to power lines, causing major outages. Repair crews have already been brought in from around the country. This is a little more sophisticated spreader reporter richard mendoza, the atlanta public works commissioner says heavy ice on the roads is especially dangerous. It makes driving treacherous. You cannot get traction, you cant control the vehicle. Reporter in a tweet, the Atlanta Mayor said, we are strongly advising our residents to stay off the roads and telecommute where possible today. Todd hackett is doing just that, after spending seven hours stuck in his car during last months paralyzing storm. Id rather be at my house and not on the highway, or a side road in my truck. Reporter others here are filling up and stocking up, emptying Grocery Store shelves as they plan to hunker down. The power goes off, im going to be at worst huddled up in front of my gas log fireplace. Reporter elsewhere in the south, the dangerous Winter Weather has already arrived. A string of crashes on icy roads around dallas causing at least four fatalities. In mississippi, snow and ice drove trucks off the roads. In north and south carolina, parents took their kids home after heavy snow forced schools to close. Classes are also dismissed in georgia, where snow in the Northern Counties temporarily forced the closure of i75, a major highway. And here in atlanta, as can you see, not that many people are on the roads as they heed the warnings. Theyre also being urged to stock up on things such as heating fuel, batteries for radios and flashlights, and medications. Enough to ride out this storm. Brian . All right. Mark potter setting the scene in atlanta. Mark, thanks. As i mentioned, al roker here with us working the Evening Shift tonight. Did someone say a foot of snow in washington, d. C. By friday night . Its very possible, brian, once this thing gets finished with the south. In the meantime, were looking at brutal conditions. From dallas ft. Worth all the way up to new england, we have a wide swath of ice storm warnings from atlanta into south carolina. And this winter storm watch and warnings all the way up into new england. Heres what we have setting up. Basically, weve look looking at low pressure developing along the stationary front. Both Double Barrel low in the gulf and cold out of the north. And along that battle line, were seeing ice already. South carolina, some places already picking up a third of an inch of ice. This ice mixture will continue. So here is what were looking for as far as accumulations. And this is critical. Look at this between atlanta and macon, up to 2 inches of ice. It extends all the way down through Central Georgia on into the carolinas. Continues up into south carolina. This is going to cause power outages, major airport delays. Were telling people stay off the roads. As the system continues up the coast, if you look at this blue line in the futurecast, thats the rain snow line, the freezing rain snow line. And depending on where this is going to set up, we could be looking at massive amounts of snow. And, in fact, were going to be continuing to tweak these amounts as we go on during the day, over the next 24 hours. An inch in atlanta, 8 inches in charlotte. As we get to the north, washington, d. C. , possibly seven inches to a foot, brian. And some areas even to the north and west of that, up to a foot and a half of snow. This is going to be a tough one. Well stay on it. Well see you in the morning. Yes, sir. Al roker, thanks for being here with us tonight. Now to these games. And while you will see some of this in prime time coverage tonight, this next result was blasted around the world as urgent news earlier today. Snowboarder shaun white will go home from his third Olympic Games without a medal this time in the mens halfpipe. In fact, its a team usa shutout in a sport invented in the u. S. Just part of the news from here. Anne thompson is up at the mountain top ski venue for us tonight. Anne, good evening. Reporter good evening, brian. You know, today the Winter Olympics felt like the spring games. Forcing officials to cancel the practice runs for the womens downhill and creating a backdrop for one of the biggest upsets at these games so far. At the mountain olympic venues today, the weather was the toughest competitor. The Cross Country free sprint at times was more like a Demolition Derby than a race. Skiers stumbling on snow turned so mushy by 40 degree temperatures, it was described as mashed potatoes. Snow conditions and design complaints plagued the mens snowboard halfpipe. One fan struck gold when after making the finals, shaun white climbed over the barrier to greet 10yearold ben hughes. Makeawish sent the cancer survivor to the olympics with his family. Can you stay up until the very end . Yes. Reporter and now hughes wants to grow up to be an engineer or a snowboarder. What are you going to tell your friends about this experience when you go back to st. Louis . I got to meet shaun white and hopefully see him win a gold medal. Reporter that didnt happen. White left emptyhanded. But the u. S. Did have a reason to celebrate today. Erin hamlin earned americas first medal ever in singles luge, a bronze. Womens ski jumping made its olympic debut, and the first skier to jump, park citys sarah hendrickson. Standing at the top, we all knew this was an historical moment. And just to be a part of it is something to be proud of. And he goes for it. Reporter olympic moments dont get any more golden than this. Canadian skier Alex Bilodeau pulling his brother fedric over the barrier after winning his second consecutive gold medal in moguls. Another wonderful moment for the brothers bilodeau. Reporter fedric, who has cerebral palsy, is alexs inspiration. I want him as close as to believe to me when its a big moment like that in my career and live that moment with him. Reporter as for tomorrow, it looks like the weather will continue to be a big story. Temperatures could climb as high as 50 degrees on the mountain. Brian . Anne thompson up at the mountain top venues with all things winter games. Anne, thanks. We have an update tonight on what was our lead story last night, this dangerous evacuation going on in the embattled syrian city of homs. Today the head of american intelligence said the war and the humanitarian crisis had created what he called an apocalyptic disaster there. The evacuation effort is expected to resume tomorrow. We learned of a big loss today and perhaps the best way to put it is this. Somewhere right now someone is ordering a Shirley Temple. We learned today that Shirley Temple has died at the age of 85. She was americas Favorite Movie star during the depression years of the 1930s. A little girl who gave her country a big lift when it really needed it. She was congratulated by the president for it. In later years, she became Shirley Temple black and became a Public Servant and a pioneer. We get a look back tonight from nbcs kate snow. On the good ship lollipop its a sweet trip to a candy shop reporter its that one irrepressible song we all think of on the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay reporter among so many. Animal crackers in my soup reporter 59 Motion Pictures in all, most before she was just 12. Everybody wants to know whos that great big handsome romeo reporter Shirley Temple with her golden ringlets was the ante dote to depressing times, giving america a reason to smile. Look at the funny side and have your fun here came this cheerful irresistible little girl who could sing and dance and do everything, seemingly, and she made people feel good. She lifted their spirits. Reporter she was precocious. Thank you very much. May i go home now. Reporter often playing the little girl who seemed wiser than the grownups around her. A little girl shouldnt be raised in this kind of environment. Reporter at a time when segregation was still the norm, she shared the screen with bill bojangles robinson and called him her favorite costar. As a child star she made millions, but as she grew up, her movie career faded. Setting the stage for a remarkable second act. I want to help. Reporter though her bid for congress failed, president nixon made her his u. N. Representative. In 1972, she spoke bluntly about her own breast cancer. The recommendation was that the entire breast should be removed, which is called a simple mastectomy. Reporter from her hospital bed she urged women to have mammograms. If they have strange lump in their breast or any symptoms, to not be afraid to go to the doctor. Reporter she won high marks as a diplomat. Ambassador to ghana and later check check check slovakia. A Public Servant, an advocate, and married for 50 years. Stardom is stardom, and star quality is timeless. And thats what she is, shes timeless. Reporter and the most famous child actress of all time. Kate snow, nbc news, new york. And when we come back here tonight, Vladimir Putins big show, the most expensive olympics ever. How a president who rules with something of an iron fist transformed a city by the sea, say nothing of his country. Back here in sochi. For the first few days of these games, we had the luxury of being able to travel around here with one of the leading american experts on russia. And tonight, with his help, we have a look at this bold move, what really is a 50 billion bet by Vladimir Putin, that he could pull off this event and welcome the world to this place. Like a lot of past olympics, this is really two olympics at different altitudes. Theres the stadium events beneath the flame, down along the black sea in whats called the coastal cluster of venues. Then about 25 miles away, there are the skiing events in the mountain cluster. None of it up top or down below existed seven years ago. To get between the two, the most expensive stretch of road in the world, an estimated 7 billion worth of new highway with a new rail line running alongside. And everywhere you look, there are hotels and restaurants and stores, a riverside promenade. And its all brand new. These days David Remnick is the editor of the new yorker magazine, but he lived here for years. He speaks the language. And his book on russia won the pulitzer. We travelled up to the mountain venues with him to assess Vladimir PutinsOlympic Games. What does the world need to know about Vladimir Putin and how should americans view this russian leader whos going to be around it appears, a good long time. Hes been around a long time already. Hes an authoritarian leader, no question. But at the same time that we criticize and rightly so, human rights issues, matters having to do with gay rights and all the rest, we should understand the context historically of whats going on here. In 1991 this place collapsed. It collapsed as an ideology, it collapsed as an empire. And its selfconfidence was shot. And that lasted for years. And there were democratic movements, but accompanying it was a long period of chaos. Vladimir putin is a man of an iron hand. And hes all about stability and development. Thats his appeal to russians, and its very popular even to this day. So a guy like this can spend 50 billion openly and get away with this in this country . Not only get away with it, its the way of doing business. These are his pyramids. This is his great display to his people, his grand construction. And it may be criticized enormously by the west and by the dissident younger critics in russia today, but its of great appeal. When the games are gone, putin wants this to remain as an International Ski resort. He said recently hes hoping for tourists from the europe and the u. S. , even china. And just like holding the games here, its something of a gamble, given the threat of terrorism across the mountains from here. I think Vladimir Putin has enormous confidence in his ability to keep the peace. Lets put it that way. It looks like a ski resort, and it certainly is for the moment. But this is a tough neighborhood. Reporter remnick knows the Media Coverage of toilets and hotel rooms and sochi glitches is not going over well with the russians. And if these games go off without incident, putin will get what he wants and label them a success, knowing the whole world is watching. Putin wants respect more than anything else in the modern world. What he sees is us being hypocritical and mocking, it makes his angry. Remember how down this country was a generation ago. How humiliated it was by the end of the cold war. Putin is the reaction to that. Our thanks to David Remnick. And by the way, sochi has other big events coming up after this, a g8 summit, world cup soccer and a formula 1 grand prix. There will be 24,000 Brand New Hotel rooms awaiting guests. Another break. Were back in a moment, with what the noise is all about here in sochi. As we are talking, you may hear what sounds like the dull roar of a jet dryer in the background when were on the air. The noise is coming from the olympic torch, and the russians are clearly making something of a torch statement. Its the most powerful we have ever seen at any games. It sounds more like a soyuz rocket blasting off. And speaking of space, the flame is indeed visible from space. Our friends on board the International Space station took this photo of the whole complex on their last pass above us from 220 miles above the earth. We have some news tonight about an important member of our family. Tonight specifically, the longtime former anchor of this broadcast and very good friend of ours. Tom brokaw is undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma, a form of cancer affecting blood cells in the bone marrow. He was diagnosed this past summer at the mayo clinic. Tom and his doctors are very encouraged about the progress hes been making. And hes kept working all the while. In a Public Statement released tonight by our network, tom said, quote, the support of my family, medical team and friends, i am very optimistic about the future and look forward to continuing my life, my work and adventures still to come. I remain the luckiest guy i know. I am very grateful for the interest in my condition, but i also hope everyone understands i wish to keep this a private matter. On a personal note, in the life goes on department, the williams and brokaws were at the movies together the night before my flight to russia. And in terms of toms continuing work load, well be airing some of toms reporting as part of our Coverage Later this week. And in an email tonight, tom mentioned at least the possibility of joining the springsteen tour in australia, just to give bruce a bump of some added publicity. Were back with more right after this. Finally for us here tonight, american speed skater shani davis takes to the ice tomorrow to defend what has been his for the last two Winter Olympics. He will try for a third consecutive gold medal in the 1,000 meter event. Nbcs lester holt spent some time with davis, who is living a dream that started as a kid back in chicago. Just waiting to hear the gun blow to send you on your way for the race. Reporter shani davis describes the perfect race. You hit your first few strides really good, you feel good, youre not very tired. You can just skate, youre not worrying about technique. Reporter twice he says he skated the perfect race, but never at the olympics. Its not stopped him, however, from winning gold in the 1,000 meter in torino and vancouver. And hes got another gold medal reporter and if the experts are right, hes likely to do it again in sochi. You want to have more of the underdog approach, because those are just words, you know . Reporter at 31, davis has raced past lots of critics and drama, as someone who once distanced himself from his team, while carving out his solo career. Today, along with his speed and form, he brings Something Else to sochi nearly as v