Then as 2017 comes to a close, were looking back at President Trumps first year in office, from his tweets to his accomplishments and everything in between. And later, willie takes a look back at the year in sunday sitdowns from actors to singers, entrepreneurs even a president. We have a lot of people from both sides of the aisle who dig this show. They all think were making fun of the other guy. Its nice to be the guy known for making songs that people kiss to or dance to. Music should make you fall in love and make you happy. When i talk about freedom of the press or immigration reform, i dont do so to criticize anybody. Those sunday sitdowns just ahead. But lets start this morning with our top story as we get sed to ring in the new year. Security will be tight across the country, but perhaps the biggest challenge will be beating the bitter temperatures gripping much of the nation. Nbcs ann thompson is in times square for us where people preparing to celebrate are expected to gather in a matter of reporter good morning. Police are already closing off the streets around times square because from the federal governments perspective this celebration is on a par with the super bowl as a potential target for criminal activity. But this morning the nypd are confident they are well prepared working in conjunction with the secret service and the fbi. In fact, the biggest problem tonight may not be man made but nature made. This new years eve will be marked by bitter cold. Im wearing like a sweater, thermal and a shirt underneath. I have three layers and im freezing. Reporter and ever present security. I think that we have the best city in the world. Our officers here are doing a great job to keep us secure. Reporter the 2 million spectators for the ball drop will enter through a dozen entry points with multiple layers of security. Wands and bag inspections will once again be the price of entry. Everyone wants to be here and be on tv. Reporter en trucks filled with sand and blocker vehicles are now part of the tradition. This year, the squares highrise buildings the backdrop for its neon glitz will have spotters and snipers after octobers massacre in las vegas. Detectives are assigned to each hotel here and working with their security squads. And you will see more canine units especially trained vapor sniffing dogs able to detect explosives under under many layers of winter clothes. Yet for all the reminders of potential trouble, some are focussed on the spirit of the night. It brings a lot of people together. And i think just that, that unity, really it brings a imagine toik this place, you know . Reporter but here and across most of the country, all eyes will be on the ever plunging thermometer, dangerously frigid temperatures forced winter fest in st. Louis to end early. Omaha, nebraska, could drop to 15 below tonight, postponing the citys annual Fireworks Show until next weekend. And outdoor skating rink will remain empty until tuesday when the temperature is forecast to get back above zero. Now, in new york, were happy to tell you there are no Credible Threats this morning against the celebration or the city. Everyone here is hoping for safe and happy new year. Hali . Ann, thank you. Dylan is here with a closer look at whats in store for those brave soles planning to venture out. We are talking about how nice the couch sounds with a sweatshirt. Outside will be brutal. On new years eve tonight we are expecting 11 degrees. That forecast really hasnt changed much most of this week weve been talking about that for quite some time. Winds will be at 12 miles per hour. When you factor in the wind chill, lit feel like 5 below. Where does this rank as far as coldest new years eves on record . We could tie the second coldest new years eve set back in 1962. The only co when it was only 1 degrees. So its not just new york city, it is pretty much everywhere across the country where temperatures are well below average. Minneapolis at midnight will be 10 degrees below zero. Chicago will be at 1 below and down south in atlanta were looking at 28 degrees. The only real warmer spot will be out in the southwest where temperatures will be above average, but all eyes are on new york city and it is going to be brutal tonight. Thank you. The white house is responding to a new report now about how the fbis investigation into potential ties between russia and the Trump Campaign actually began. Nbcs Kelly Odonnell is in West Palm Beach with the latest where President Trump will be kicking off the new year. Kelly, good morning. Reporter good morning. This new report may resolve one of the enduring questions about the russia investigation for more than a year what started it all . What was the spark . The New York Times reports that a former young Foreign Policy adviser may be the answer to thates center of it all. Youve heard the name george papadopoulos. He has already pleaded guilty to lying to the fbi. The New York Times reports that back in the springs of 2016, papadopoulos was in london having drinks with an australian diplomat and said that the russians had damaging emails against hillary clinton. Well, a few months later when the emails were spilled into the public, the australian diplomat alerted the fbi and the paper reports that that is the link that caused federal authorities to begin a counterintelligence investigation close to the Trump Campaign. Now, the white house has since tried to distance itself from papadopoulos, referring to him as a lowlevel player in a volunteer position. The president s outside personal lawyers are not commenting on this story and the white house special counsel ty cobb tells me out of respect for special Counsel Robert Mueller le not comment on this hoping that the inquiry and their cooperation will end expeditiously allies of the president have been trying to discredit the investigation itself, saying it should end and now this new clue about what may have started it all at the time little known member of the trump team in a volunteer position who might hold the secret to all of this. Kelly odonnell with a busy weekend in south florida. Kelly, thank you. President trumps first year in office is just about in the books so on this last day of 2017, we wanted to take a look back at some of the moments of a presidency without precedent. The new president s message to a deeply divided nation. This american carnage stops right here. This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration period. Sean spicer our press secretary gave alternative facts. An abrupt and stunning resignation from National Security adviser michael flynn. This administration is in the Fake News Media is not my enemy, its the enemy of the american people. Good morning. The recess . President trump strikes a decidedly different tone in his first address to congress. Top white house aides celebrating the speech as a grand slam. A new russia revelation, attorney general Jeff Sessions acknowledging he talked with the russian ambassador. Breaking news, President Trump in a shocking tweet this morning accusing former president obama of wiretapping trump tower. He doesnt really think that president obama went up and tapped his phone personally. The fbi is investigating possible ties between Trump Associates and russian operatives. Putin hated secretary clinton so much. Make no mistake, this was a monumental day what President Trump dismissed as, quote, fake news we now know is very real. Meltdown for the republican plan to repeal and replace obamacare. Justice neil gorsuch takes the bench at the Supreme Court stunning move dismissing the man leading an investigation into the president. Large shadow over the russia investigation. I was going to fire comey. I said, you know, this russia thing with trump and russia is a made up story. Lordy, i hope there are tapes. The president accuse fded of giving highly classified information in the oval office. The president is defending his controversial decision to withdraw from the paris climate agreement. President trump is lashing out on reports hes being investigated. You are witnessing the single greatest witch hunt. In a stunning staff shuffle tonight, a familiar face stepping down and a new one stepping in. Im the super optimistic guy. Blowing a kiss to the cameras on his way out. Another major white house shakeup, Reince Priebus is out. Anthony scaramucci is gone after just days on the job. Dow is now up 20 since President Trump was elected. Unexpectedly banning in the u. S. Military. A u. S. President for the first time suggesting what sounded like a Nuclear First strike. Fire and fury like the world has never seen. Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded. Donald trump finds himself in a practically unprecedented position. He is praised by white supremacists. I think theres blame on both sides. President trumps controversial chief strategist now the latest high profile departure. Hinting he will soon pardon joe arpaio. The backlash is building over President Trumps immigration decision. His combative speech including harsh warning for both north korea and iran. Rocket man is on a suicide mission. The sports world standing up to the president by kneeling down. Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Fired last ditch effort to repeal obamacare is officially dead. We are in puerto rico yesterday the president met with those impacted by hur cane maria. Youve thrown our budget out of whack. The state Department Officials denying a split between the president and his top diplomat. Secretary called the president a moron. He said an fing moron. He couldnt remember my husbands name. Breaking news tonight, the first indictments in the mueller investigation. President trump taking this unscripted swipe at the massachusetts senator. They call her poke han tas. Mike flynn admits he lied to the fbi. Seven decades of u. S. Policy changed in an instant. Jerusalem is israels capital. Trumps triumph, the president basking in his first big legislative win. Its always a lot of fun when you win. Let me tell you somebody who has covered every moment of that trump administration, that last year has felt like ten in some ways. Reminder t press this morning. Chuck will look ahead to 2018 and what to expect from the white house and congress in the new year. A semiofficial news agency in iran is reporting two people were killed in overnight protests there. These are the first deaths being atriblted to the demonstrations started thursday. Thousands of people took to the streets of teheran saturday. Protesting the countrys stagnant economy, alleged corruption and their governments involvement in conflicts in the region. President trump on twitter says the world is watching what happens there. And virginia man is facing charges this morning for trying to obstruct a terrorism investigation. The fbi raided the home of Sean Andrew Duncan friday after learning they say he expressed interest in joining isis and carrying out an attack here in the u. S. According to court documents, o phone that was recovered revealed research on the islamic state, on weapons, surveillance tactics and terror attacks. And for a second night in a row, there was no winner million. Nobody matched all six numbers for last nights 384 million power ball prize. This comes after no winner on friday nights megamillions lottery either. Both jackpots now roll over to a combined 784 million. Yes, you heard that right. With the next drawings on tuesday and wednesday nights if i am not at work on thursday, you will know why. Here is a check of the rest of the countrys forecast. We have to get a pool going. I know. It didnt matter nobody won yet. Ill throw in 10 bucks. Lets look at whats going on across the country where we have dangerous wind chills. 163 Million People are impacted by these cold temperatures with wind chims at times 15 to 45 degrees below zero. The cold air will continue to settle in from the north. This morning, weve got wind chills down around 47 degrees in duluth and tomorrow morning is going to be even colder. Thats a look at the weather across the country. Wind chills are below 10 degrees for the area, most of the area at least feels like 9 degrees in washington, 1 gaithersburg. Dulles 3 degrees. For today, mid to low 20s for an afternoon high. It will stay breezy and chance for passing flurries and by midnight, well be around 19 degrees. Tomorrow morning 12 for a morning low. Wind chills anywhere from 5 to 10 degrees below zero. Next week, were in the 30s by wednesday. And thats your latest forecast. Thank you. Straight ahead, were looking back at the top highs and lows of the year, including this little boy who melted our hearts when he told his mom exactly why he needed her so much. And the couple who just could not seem to figure out they were on an escalator to nowhere. Plus, on the campaign trail, he told supporters he would never have time to play golf while president , but that has not exactly been the case for donald trump. Just how important is the game to the president . I think hes probably the play golf. Its all coming up on sunday today. As we head to break, our photo of the week, a stunning sight in new yorks bryant park, this frozen water fountain. Bundle up. Than a manual. And my hygienist says it does but theyre not all the same. Who knew . I had no idea. So she said, look for one thats shaped like a dental tool with a round brush head. Go pro with oralb. Oralbs rounded brush head surrounds each tooth to gently remove more plaque. And unlike sonicare, oralb is the only electric toothbrush brand accepted by the American Dental Association for its effectiveness and safety. My mouth feels so clean. Ill only use an oralb. Oralb. Brush like a pro. Im and im an emt. Erer when i get a migraine at work, its debilitating. If i call out with a migraine, thats one less ambulance to serve a community. I just dont want to let these people down. Excedrin migraine. Relief that works as hard as you do. Daddy did you get my surprise . Its the Little Things that make life rich. Ritz. Im singing in the rain, just singing in the rain what glorious feeling im happy again, you or joints. Something for your heart. But do you take something for your brain. With an ingredient originally found in jellyfish, prevagen is the number one selling brainhealth supplement in drug stores nationwide. Prevagen. The name to remember. We are back on this sunday morn we are back on this sunday morning with whats become our favorite segment around here the highs and lows of the week. Over the past year willie featured so many incredible moments that we found it pretty tough to pick a favorite. Rather than try, we decided to go with our top five and in tru new years eve style, willie counts them down. Lets ring in this round up with our number five high, which left an entire wedding and the internet in tears. On her big day, becky turny left a seat open for her late son tristan who died about two years ago. Tristan was an organ donor. The bride got a big surprise when the young man who received her sons heart showed up at the ceremony. Jacob brought becky a stethoscope so she could once again hear tristans heart beat. He physically brought my sons heart to my wedding. Its just amazing. Our number fi soccer game in thailand. During a shootout, the kick hits the cross bar and the goalie runs off to celebrate what looks like a miss, but the ball comes spinning back and ends up in the goal. On to our number four high, its the love affair between a little girl and a robot. And by robot, we mean a water heater destin for the dump. I love you robot. I love you robot. Our number four low, one couples fundamental misunderstanding of the way escalators work. The pair became a viral sensation with a mesmerizing Youtube Video where they calmly attempt to walk down an up escalator. This goes on and on as theyre undeterred by the fact theyre not making a single step of progress. We hope by 2018 theyll finally made it to the bottom of this up escalator. Number three on our countdown of margaret ann who became a bright light in the destruction of hurricane irma. There she is in the streets of miami area with a chain saw clearing falling trees and we wearing her full habit. She is a High School Principal who tells her students to do what you can to help. Our number three low goes to one of our favorite olympians who was laid low after she had her wisdom teeth yanked. Yes, that is gymnastics great simone biles, imagining shes driving down the road honking and yelling at the drivers in her way. Were down to the final two and this high melted our hearts. It goes to 4yearold brice wilson who needs his momma. We need you. Do we need you . Yeah. Okay. We need you because we need a momma. I know. Its you have a daddy and your brother. I dont need no brother. I dont need no brothers and no dads. I only need you. Okay. Our number two low goes to the dog who is just not having it. Concerned bystanders went to see why someone was laying on the horn of a car relentlessly when they came across this guy, a dog sitting behind the wheel impatiently honking for his owner. Our number one high of the year is the pure joy brought to us in the form of a gorilla named zola at the dallas zoo and the internet took it up a notch with the only sound track to match. Shes a maniac, maniac and shes dancing like shes never danced before the year goes to that feeling when your Live Television interview is interrupted by every member of your family. I think one of your children just walked in. Shifting sounds in the region, do you think relations with the north may change . I would be surprised if they do. Pardon me. Instant classic. Among the years most watched videos, our top slot goes to Professor Robert kelly and his internationally famous children. That is a trip down memory lane that i love. Favorite low, what was yours at this point . The escalator. I mean that was a low, right . It should be a high because just these people are not aware of anything going on