Brent Pascua, battalion chief with Cal Fire, joins TODAY to share an update on the deadly California wildfires and how firefighters are working to gain control of the flames now that the winds are beginning to calm. "I believe we can actually make some progress, turn a corner and start to build some containment." A winter storm is sweeping across the country, set to impact millions. A hazardous mix of snow, freezing rain, and frigid temperatures is expected to bring widespread power outages and create travel chaos, both on the roads and at airports. NBC's Priscilla Thompson reports for TODAY. Wind gusts in Los Angeles are beginning to die down, giving firefighters an opportunity to gain the upper hand on the wildfires. Meanwhile, much of the rest of the country is bracing for a major winter storm. TODAY's Al Roker tracks the forecast. President-elect Trump returned to Washington to meet with Republican senators on Capitol Hill to plan his administration's agenda. It comes as he asked the Supreme Court to block his sentencing in his hush money case. NBC's Garrett Haake reports for TODAY. 

Craig Melvin officially joins Savannah Guthrie as co-anchor of TODAY — and in the ceremonial tradition, he gets to hear his name replayed from the show open. TODAY's Savannah Guthrie, and newly named co-anchor Craig Melvin, sit down with NBC's Mike Tirico, to talk about their new journey together at the anchor desk. "He is absolutely made for this job and made for this moment," Savannah says. Firefighters battling the out-of-control wildfires in Los Angeles County made some progress amid calmer winds over the weekend. However, the winds are expected to pick back up over the next few days. It comes as the death toll has risen to at least 24 and more than 12,000 homes and buildings damaged or destroyed. NBC's Tom Llamas reports for TODAY. Powerful Santa Ana winds are expected to intensify in the coming days, with gusts potentially reaching 70 miles per hour, further complicating efforts to contain severe wildfires in Southern California. TODAY's Al Roker tracks the forecast.