in redwood city. 600 athletes involved. the athletes raced to come complete a 600 meter open water swim, 20 kilometer bike ride, and a run. stanford is also set to compete in a national race next month. really quickly, rob, can you it tell us the weather? >> showers, roaming downpours now and a solid one into dublin and pleasanton. continue to keep you posted at six. "nightly news" is next. see you again at six. tonight, the blizzard battering parts of the west right now with snow totals set to top ten feet. the unrelenting snow creating dangerous whiteout conditions as the storm stretches from california to colorado 100 miles of this highway shut down, cars abandoned, snow drifts almost burying homes. >> it kind of felt like we were, like, swimming through the snow >> and now another storm right behind it.

the strongest words yet from the white house ramping up pressure on israel and hamas. >> there must be an immediate cease-fire >> as we get new images of the u.s. military air dropping aid into gaza reversing course nikki haley tells kristen welker she may not support donald trump in the general election and tomorrow the supreme court will likely decide whether mr. trump can be kept off the colorado ballot the university of florida fires all its diversity, and equity and inclusion staff and diversity programs face new backlash across the country. first american woman to brave the nearly impossible around the world solo sailing competition, how she already endured rough seas like this. and history on the hard wood caitlin clark has now scored more points than any man or woman ever to play college basketball

this is "nbc nightly news." >> good evening. i'm peter alexander. tonight, the most powerful blizzard of the season is still pounding parts of california and the mountain west, where wind gusts topped 190 miles an hour and snow totals could reach up to ten feet when all is said and done long stretches of major highways are shut down to avoid spinouts and collisions, and tonight avalanche warnings remain in place. and check this out this is the weekend scene in salt lake city where a major league soccer game went on despite the punishing storm and below freezing temperatures the visiting coach calling it an absolute disgrace there is a brief lull forecasted for tomorrow, and a new system packing another foot of snow is expected we begin tonight with the very latest on the historic blizzard with nbc's steve patterson near lake tahoe. steve? >> reporter: peter, the hope is that we are finally in the last gasp of this

storm, which is little relief to residents that are dealing with stuff like this. i mean, look at this, i mean, look at this, this is a ten-foot snow drift in somebody's front yard. but despite that, th danger remains where it always has been, on the roads. tonight, the storm of the season slamming wave after wave of wind-driven snow on the mountain west. earlier today, an avalanche crashed down on several cars south of lake tahoe. thankfully no one was hurt the snow spawning life-threatening whiteout conditions on the roads. the region's major thoroughfare, interstate 80 still shut down indefinitely for miles. video from saturday shows semis completely stranded massive snow throwers brought in to clear the roads, while huge tow trucks pull stuck tractor trailers out of drifts piled up to the windows. this is one of the exit ramps to interstate 80, shut down now for days for about 100 miles.

crews say it is simply too dangerous. you've got crews and of course trucks that are being allowed to come through to try to get supplies of course authorities trying to move people away but for everybody else, it is a no-go. the region's rare blizzard warning, originally set to expire today, now extended to midnight, bringing snow totals anywhere from 5 to 10 feet in some areas and even more high up in the peaks down mountain, the digout is at several ski resorts. madison condon works at palisades ski resort but says she hasn't left her home in days. >> with this amount of snow, the high winds, low visibility, the roads are not necessarily safe everywhere to drive on right now our resort is closed. our operations team has been working around the clock since the storm has hit. >> reporter: for andy and maya elsemore, it has been a surreal experience i saw some of the video i think you sent from the road. tell me what that experience of driving through that was like. >> i thought we were going to get stuck a

few times. it kind of felt like we were, like, swimming through the snow almost. >> back now with steve, steve, will get a short break before more snow arrives? >> reporter: peter, almost as soon as this system moves out, another smaller system moves in, which means within a day or two, some of these communities could see an additional 1 to 2 feet on top of what is already obviously an impossible amount of snow peter? >> just enormous drifts there behind you. steve, thank you. while the west digs out, we're seeing record highs in other parts of the country with temperatures 30 to 40 degrees above average across the plains and the midwest. we saw record highs today in new york and connecticut and those above average temperatures are expected to stick around for much of this week. now to the war in the middle east, and some of the toughest words yet from the white house toward israel and hamas vice president kamala harris tonight calling for an immediate cease-fire ramping up pressure on both sides to accept a deal to pause the fighting in gaza allie raffa has the very latest.

>> reporter: tonight, the biden administration's sharpest criticism yet of israel's handling of its war with hamas. >> what we are seeing every day in gaza is devastating. ♪ >> reporter: vice president kamala harris today in selma, alabama, laying the blame for palestinians' desperation in part on israel. >> as i have said many times, too many innocent palestinians have been killed >> reporter: harris doubling down on the administration's calls for a pause in fighting to allow for the release of hostages and more humanitarian aid into gaza >> there must be an immediate cease-fire [ applause ] for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table. >> reporter: her comments come as cease-fire talks kicked off in cairo today, between hamas officials and mediators, who discussed the framework of a six-week deal.

u.s. officials saying israel has more or less accepted if hamas agrees to release sick, elderly and women hostages the war has slowly become a political vulnerability for president biden as he runs for re-election and faces growing pressure from within his own party and even campaign >> the policy of bear hugging netanyahu has not worked >> reporter: tonight, we're getting new images of the first american air drop of food relief into gaza on saturday. the huge pallets with nearly 40,000 ready to eat meals loaded up inside c-130s and rolled out the back. crowds gathered on the ground, swelling as they wait for them to land, one by one >> allie joins us from the north lawn at the white house. do we know when more u.s. aid will go to gaza >> reporter: officials won't say when the next air drop will be, but they're pushing to open more land routes

while also exploring the option of delivering aid by sea. peter? >> allie raffa, thank you. thank you. now to politics and the battle for the republican nomination. just two days until super tuesday and tonight former president trump is inching closer to securing that rematch with president biden but he still needs to overcome new divisions within his own party ali vitali reports from the campaign trail in dallas. >> what a great crowd, thank you! >> reporter: the final sprint to super tuesday. >> now let's talk about what you need to do on tuesday. >> reporter: and what could be nikki haley's final stand. >> yes, i'm going to keep on fighting i need you to go tuesday and vote >> reporter: on the trail today in vermont and maine, two of the 15 states set to vote tuesday when more than 800 delegates will be doled out. >> next stop, as you know, super tuesday. >> reporter: it comes after yet another sweep for donald trump, who notched caucus wins in idaho and missouri this weekend. now, barreling into tuesday with his mind already on a general election rematch >> this november, virginia is going to

tell crooked joe biden, you're fired! you're fired get out of here! >> reporter: and glancing blows at his sole gop rival haley haley reversing course on "meet the press," saying she may not keep a pledge she took to support the eventual republican nominee. >> i think i'll make what decision i want to make. >> reporter: and trump saying at his rally, he doesn't want moderate republican voters in his party. >> we're getting rid of the romneys of the world. >> reporter: but trump also stumbling at times. >> did you just see maduro -- venz - >> reporter: mispronouncing venezuela and saying barack obama is the current president, not biden. >> putin has so little respect for obama. >> reporter: still, super tuesday all but sure to install trump as the standard bearer once more. >> donald trump. >> reporter: even as he escalates outright lies about immigration. >> they're pouring into our country, in addition to everything else it is so crazy who would want this? biden's conduct on our

border is by any definition a conspiracy to overthrow the united states of america. that's what's happening. >> ali joins us now from dallas. we may get the supreme court ruling on mr. trump's eligibility to be on the ballot tomorrow >> reporter: yeah, that's exactly right, peter. as soon as tomorrow, the supreme court might rule on whether or not trump is booted from the ballot in colorado that, of course, a response to his actions on january 6th. but based on oral arguments, it is unlikely the supreme court will keep him off the ballot there colorado, one of those states set to vote on tuesday. peter? >> ali vitali, thank you so much. by the way join us for full coverage of super tuesday on our streaming network, nbc news now and right here on your nbc station. tonight, lebron james is celebrating another unimaginable record, the nba legend just became the league's first player ever to score more than 40,000 career points he reached that milestone during last night's home game between his lakers and the denver nuggets

the fans in l.a. went nuts when king james etched his name into the record books once again. speaking of records, here's one that few thought would ever be broken but today iowa superstar caitlin clark just shattered it, becoming the all-time scoring leader for any man or woman ever to play college basketball jesse kirsch was there to watch history happen >> history >> reporter: tonight, caitlin clark taking and making her shot seen around the world, in front of a sellout home crowd, the iowa hawkeyes guard sinking this free throw, etching her name into yet another record book the 22-year-old passing lsu's pete maravich to become the all-time leading scorer in ncaa division one basketball history, a record-breaking moment more than 50 years in the making. >> pretty cool >> when they announce it and everybody screams, that's when i know pretty cool. >> reporter: heading into her senior day game, clark was already the all-time scoring leader for major college women's

basketball the previous record holder lynette woodard in the building today as clark went even further. now, no one has more points than her, man or woman >> i just had fun and i loved every single second i've been here. >> she's the true testament of what all women are. she's finally given women a voice. >> reporter: fans flying in, shelling out thousands of dollars to witness history made by an athlete who transcends sport. what was that like >> it was really cool! >> reporter: clark dazzles, eye popping passes, and monster three-pointers >> clark, starting to feel it. >> reporter: today was no different. >> the offense >> clark again from downtown >> reporter: but it was a foul shot that put her over the top nba star lebron james writing congrats, women's tennis trailblazer billy jean calling her indomitable, #women makinghistory and pistol pete's son also reacting late today. what do you think your dad would make of this moment >> i think my dad would be extremely happy for her.

>> hopefully somebody comes after me and breaks my record and i can be there supporting them. >> reporter: it was here on the free throw line that caitlin clark got her 18th point of the day, which she needed to make history but she kept going she finished the game with 35 points, and her college career is not done yet peter? >> a role model for girls and boys jesse, thank you. still ahead, the university of florida cutting its entire staff dedicated to diversity on campus. why other colleges are now looking to do the same plus, with the wind at her back, the sailor doing what no other american woman has done before. her epic test of endurance.

we're back now with controversy on campus at the university of florida after the school eliminated all diversity, equity and inclusion positions due to a new state law, a new state rule that prohibits those programs and now other states may soon follow suit our marissa parra is there. >> reporter: the university of florida slashing all diversity, equity and inclusion roles across campus >> very disappointed by it. i think the university administration let us down in this regard. >> reporter: the school announcing it will reallocate the $5 million initially used for dei expenses, adding it will eliminate roughly 30 jobs >> i've seen people saying thank god we can save $5 million a year and then i've seen other people saying, you know, this is like horrible >> reporter: the school's director of african american studies says this decision goes much further than the

university >> there might be a long-term impact in terms of recruiting high end talent based on the fear that, you know, this state isn't welcoming to diversity and inclusion. >> reporter: the university of florida joining other schools in the state that have also cut their dei programs >> this is basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda >> reporter: all of this comes nearly a year after governor ron desantis signed a law banning florida's public universities from spending federal and state money on dei initiatives. desantis reacting to the gainesville university's decision, tweeting, florida is where dei goes to die. but critics say they think the push to end dei comes from a fundamental misunderstanding on what dei really is >> governor desantis sees dei as toxic, people love to think dei is only for african americans, which is not true. it also applies to white women, asian americans, lgbtq, disability students. >> reporter: an nbc news analysis shows

gop lawmakers across more than 30 states have introduced measures to either limit or eliminate dei initiatives altogether during this legislative session alone. in texas, a sweeping new ban on dei across all state universities took effect at the start of the new year. while the future is unclear how many other gop-led states will follow suit, one thing is certain, the battle for control over higher ed just beginning. marissa parra, nbc news, gainesville, florida. and we're back in a moment with a history-making journey for this sailor who is breaking barriers at sea.

now to an incredible story about history at sea

this week the first american woman is set to complete a solo sailing race around the entire globe our emilie ikeda caught up with her from the mid-atlantic about her thrilling but treacherous journey. >> i love you! here we go >> reporter: aboard this 40-footracing boat named first light -- 29-year-old cole brauer spent four months at sea, surviving terrifying moments like this. when massive waves tossed her across the cabin, badly injuring her wrist. >> oh. all this, it took so long sailing solution -- >> reporter: she put in her own iv when dehydration took hold. >> as i said, pretty big waves. >> reporter: and now she's closing in on becoming the first american woman to race nonstop around the world, alone,

competing in the global solo challenge. she's the only woman and the youngest of the 16 skippers who started the race last year, more than half already dropped out. she zoomed with us from the middle of the atlantic you wear so many hats on this journey. >> a solo sailor, you have to be able to do everything you need to be able to get up even when you're so exhausted and you have to be able to fix everything on the boat. the last, like, 24 hours i've been so angry. >> reporter: the journey grueling, no stops on the roughly 30,000 miles from spain down the west coast of africa, over to australia, and around the cape of south america, before returning to the starting point, a finish line brauer is expected to hit just days from now. have you ever been really scared in a moment >> i can feel the

boat is deteriorating. i can just feel that things are starting to break down okay, okay, okay it's okay. it's okay. >> reporter: for the 100 pound powerhouse from new york, sailing is a career she has been chasing since college. >> i pushed so much harder when someone is, like, no, you can't do that. i'm, like, well, okay. watch me >> reporter: an attitude she hopes will inspire young girls in a male-dominated sport >> it would be amazing if there was just one, one other girl that saw me and said, oh, i can do that too. >> reporter: one woman now navigating a new chapter in history emilie ikeda, nbc news >> just a few more days to go. when we come back, there is good news tonight about this boy's red carpet moment and the teacher who helped make it happen

there is good news tonight about how one person can make a difference by helping to deliver a dream sometimes all it takes is a pair of scissors and a big heart. growing up in california, claire hall always knew what she wanted to be >> my original dream was to be a hairstylist to the stars of hollywood >> reporter: she graduated from cosmetology school, but then life took a turn in a different direction. >> i am a proud teacher and i teach special education. what we're going to do today -- >> reporter: in her first year at this high school outside san francisco -- >> ready >> reporter: -- claire met mason zolner.

>> oh, my gosh, he is a doll >> what does this say? >> reporter: funny and sweet -- >> kangaroo, how do you know that says kangaroo >> reporter: he also has his own challenges >> mace, mace, mace. >> reporter: like his mom karen says sitting still for a haircut. what was it like when you were in charge of the haircuts >> there was no style. this is always a little bit traumatizing for him he didn't want to go to a barber. >> reporter: but when mason got invited to a celebration for students with special needs -- >> okay, ready >> reporter: -- karen knew she needed help and miss hall was ready to step in >> i was ready i was, like, that's my guy. >> mason, can you come up let's get your hair cut >> reporter: so she turned it into a lesson about life skills >> all right i'm going to use the clippers on mason. >> reporter: trimming mason's hair in front of the whole class. >> it was a collision of both of my loves. >> reporter: then the big night. >> ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to mason! >> reporter: mason, as confident as ever, looking like a million

bucks. >> he, you know, is strutting down the red carpet in his little tuxedo, and his gorgeous new haircut this was a whole new mason. >> reporter: you see, what claire gave mason was much more than just a haircut and for claire, much more than she ever could have imagined. >> i'm living the dream. they don't have the opportunities that everyone else does, so, excuse me. so, i just -- to be able to put my love into, you know, mason for now, is a dream. >> claire tells us she has a new dream now to open a hair salon for those with special needs. how good did mason look

that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. lester holt will be here tomorrow. i'm peter alexander. from all of us here at nbc news, we hope you have a great night

right now another 6:00, a rainy weekend in the bay area is still coming down in parts of our area. rob is tracking what we can expect as we head into the workweek. in the sierra, highway 80 closed for the rest of the night. when the road might reopen. and hopefully you have a plan to vote with just two days until the california primary. we're tracking early voting numbers as one city leader got out