The United States Customs and Border Protection system temporarily experienced an outage after a “technology disruption” Monday at major airports across the country, according to the federal agency.

On the first day of the new year, long lines of passengers entering the United States halted at international airports in New York, Florida, Texas and California. 

The outage lasted an estimated two hours, according to CBP statement released Monday:

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection experienced a temporary outage with its processing systems at various airports today beginning at 7:30 pm and ending approximately 9:30 pm. All airports are currently back online.

CBP took immediate action to address the technology disruption. CBP officers continued to process international travelers using alternative procedures at affected airports. Travelers at some ports of entry experienced longer than usual wait times as CBP officers processed travelers as quickly as possible while maintaining the highest levels of security.

During the technology disruption, CBP had access to national security-related databases and all travelers were screened according to security standards. At this time, there is no indication the service disruption was malicious in nature.”

CBP has not given an explanation of what caused the disruption in the system but did say it was not "malicious in nature."

Airports have reported the CBP system was working again and arriving passengers may expect delays. 

This is a developing story

As temperatures across the state hover in the single digits, many people are looking for ways to stay warm indoors.

But at the Mount Southington ski area in Plantsville, ski lovers didn’t shy away from time on the slopes despite the bitter cold.

"You can’t feel your fingers and toes sometimes, but it’s just fun," Ryan Manco of Cheshire said after spending more than six hours on the slopes New Year’s Day, skiing and snowboarding with friend Ryan Mahan.

"It’s pretty chilly. Yeah, it’s cold. But it’s a blast," Mahan said.

The two said multiple layers of clothes helped them survive the frigid weather.

Mount Southington’s season began about two weeks ago and staff says while they did expect to see a small downturn today due to the extreme cold and the holiday, they still welcomed dozens of people, especially regulars.

"They know the drill. They know what the cold is all about. They’re dressed for it. It really isn’t a problem," Mike Ryan, the ski area’s night manager, said. 

Ski enthusiast Eduardo Arias knew about the frigid forecast ahead of time but came up from New York City to ring in 2018 on the slopes.

"You feel the wind and it’s very, very cold. But I love to ski… and it’s a beautiful new year," Arias said.

NBC Connecticut meteorologists are continuing to track a storm system for Thursday.

The system will bring snow and wind to the state throughout the day on Thursday. There are still a few questions with regard to the track of the system.

Here's what we know, a very powerful storm system will form and track towards the north.

What we aren't so sure about is just how far west the storm system will track.

I want to take you through what we think is the most likely scenario and also a scenario that isn't out of the question but is less likely.

MOST LIKELY SCENARIO - TRACK 1 

This would keep the center of low pressure between 100 and 150 miles to the east of Cape Cod. Normally a storm this far out wouldn't have much of an impact here in Connecticut. However the storm system expected to be very large and far reaching.

Our most likely scenario (track 1) would be a light snowfall accumulation to the state with strong northerly winds. Winds could gust to 40 or even 50 mph in parts of the state. 

LESS LIKELY SCENARIO - TRACK 2

The less likely scenario which isn't totally out of the question is more of a direct hit. This track would be a classic Nor'easter track for Connecticut and would bring major impacts to the state. 

Most of our computer models are siding with track 1 however a few computer models are trending towards this more direct hit.

This track would bring significant snowfall accumulations to the state with a very strong northerly wind.

That's the latest information we have as of now on this system. We will continue to monitor the latest computer guidance and will update you as soon as we have more information.

With that being said it does appear we will have impacts with snow and wind in both track 1 and track 2.

Residents in one Berlin neighborhood may wake up without water after frigid temperatures broke a water main overnight.

The Kensington Fire District was called to the break on Robindale Drive just before midnight Tuesday. There’s no timetable on when it might be fixed.

Crews have dug down to the water main, but they’re still trying to find the exact location of the break.

Officials said the issue affects about 20 homes on Robindale Drive.

This is the second time in a matter of days that a pipe has burst on this block. Crews told NBC Connecticut that as they fixed that part of the pipe it put pressure down the line.

Not only is the cold weather to blame for the actual break, but the frigid temperatures are making it more difficult to find and repair the break.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t started your car in while you may want to give yourself some extra time to see that it starts before you head to work this morning.

AAA says its responded to nearly 10,0000 calls for roadside assistance in the Greater Hartford area since last Tuesday. Dead batteries and flat tires are the main culprits.

They remind drivers to pack an emergency kit with extra warm clothes, blankets, and snacks in case they get stranded.

Bristol police are looking for a suspect who robbed the BP Gas Station on New Year’s Day.

Police said a male suspect entered the gas station at 44 South Street with a knife around 5:45 p.m. and demanded cash.

The suspect made off with an undetermined amount of cash and fled on Union Street.

Anyone with information on this crime should contact Bristol police at 860-584-3011.

Hoda Kotb, co-host of the fourth hour of the "Today" show for about a decade, has been promoted to co-anchor of the show, her colleague Savannah Guthrie announced Tuesday.

She fills the spot formerly occupied by Matt Lauer, who was terminated from NBC News in late November after a colleague reported inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.

"Hoda, you are a partner and a friend and a sister and there is no one I'd rather be doing this with," Guthrie said.

Kotb, 53, said she was pinching herself as the show kicked off its new era.

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She had been filling in for Lauer since he was fired, and for at least three weeks without him, the show beat rival "Good Morning America" in ratings, The New York Times reported. It was the first three-week winning streak since the 2016 Olympics.

"Over the past several weeks, Hoda has seamlessly stepped into the co-anchor role alongside Savannah, and the two have quickly hit the ground running," NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said in an email Tuesday to "Today" staff. "They have an undeniable connection with each other and most importantly, with viewers, a hallmark of 'Today.'"

E! News reported that Lauer texted Kotb to congratulate her. "He was sweet this morning. Certain texts popped up, and there was one from Matt: 'Congratulations!'" said Kotb. "And he said some nice words."

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Kotb will continue to co-host the show's fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford.

Gifford and other NBC News luminaries quickly offered their congratulations on Twitter.

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The Oklahoma native of Egyptian descent joined "Dateline" as a contributor in 1998 and has covered the news for a variety of NBC News platforms, including conflicts in the Middle East and Hurricane Katrina.

She's won the Peabody and Edward R. Murrow awards, and was on the "Today" team when it won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding morning program in 2010.

Guthrie and Kotb will be the first pair of women to anchor "Today" together. ABC News' Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts were the first female tandem to host a morning show together from 2006-2009, "Today" reported.

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At least 23 people were hurt, nine of them children, as a seven-alarm fire swept through a multistory building near the Bronx Zoo early Tuesday, drawing more than three dozen fire units and 200 firefighters to help battle the flames.

The 5:30 a.m. fire broke out in a tin-roof furniture store, where the gates were down, on Commonwealth Avenue in Van Nest and rapidly spread up to apartments in the mixed-use building. FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said firefighters arrived in less than 4 minutes and helped rescue tenants. 

Among those injured, the FDNY said, were 22 civilians and one firefighter. The extent of there injuries was not immediately clear, but all are expected to survive.

Eight hours after it broke out, the fire was finally placed under control. 

Chopper 4 was over the scene and showed thick smoke pouring out of windows of the four-story building while firefighters worked to get the blaze under control. About two dozen fire trucks were at the scene as a half-dozen ladder trucks worked on the flames. An aerial view showed smoke billowing for blocks, and after more than three hours, crews were still working to put out the fire. 

One resident said he fled the building with no shirts and no shoes -- only his three young children. They got out safely. But fire officials say nearly two dozen people, including that man and his family, have been displaced by the blaze.

A cause of Tuesday's blaze is under investigation. It's the fourth three-alarm or larger fire in the borough in less than a week.

On Thursday, 12 people, including children, died in a fast-moving fire in the Bronx, also near the zoo. Officials said that fire was sparked by a toddler playing with a stove. On Wednesday morning, a fire ripped through a multistory home on Garden Street near the Bronx Zoo that forced residents to quickly flee, some still in bathrobes. That same morning, a second fire burned, also at a multistory apartment building on Knox Place in the Norwood section of the Bronx. No one was hurt in that blaze.

Former Vice President Joe Biden will be one of about two dozen Democrats — members of Congress, governors, mayors and celebrities — considering a run for the White House in 2020, NBC News reported.

Biden, 75, has plans to fundraise and campaign for the midterm elections, even getting involved in state-level races where his party has a chance to take control of a legislative chamber.

"You're going to see him all over the place," said Greg Schultz, executive director of Biden's American Possibilities PAC.

Jockeying in the invisible Democratic primary is about to get intense, but President Donald Trump has already been testing out campaign themes at events, telling a crowd in Florida last month that the next election will come down to the stock market's performance.

Connecticut State Police are warning of scammers trying to con residents out of money using the department’s name.

State police said they received a report from a victim who received a phone call from someone claiming to be Connecticut State Police. The caller claimed the victim owed money for a bounced check made in reference to a payday loan, and provided a case number.

The Connecticut State Police does not process payday loans. Anyone who received such a call should report it.

Police also offered the following tips to avoid becoming a scam victim:

• If you did not write a check to the Connecticut State Police do not provide any information and hang up.
• If you did write a check, do not provide any information and hang up. Directly contact the unit you would have written the check to and confirm the status of your check. Some of the units include, but are not limited to, Connecticut State Police Reports & Records, Fingerprints, Criminal Records (background check) or the Special Licensing & Firearms Unit (pistol permits & guard cards).
• Do not call any phone numbers provided by the scammer.
• Do not visit any websites provided by the scammer.
• Do not send emails to email addresses provided by the scammer.
• Do not provide credit/debit card information, bank account information, purchase money cards/gift cards and provide the card and PIN number, or wire money.

For more safety tips click here. 

Firefighters believe a plumbers torch being used to thaw pipes caused the fire at Meadow Apartments on Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury that killed two birds and displaced six people Tuesday.

Firefighters who responded to battle the fire in freezing temperatures Tuesday morning found one hydrant frozen, but they were able to use one a little further from the scene.

The fire destroyed two units and caused minor damage to four. No one was injured.

The road was closed, but it has reopened.

Firefighters believe the fire started in an apartment bathroom. It did not spread to other buildings. 

Crews fixed a water main break at the intersection of Hicks and Ann Uccello Streets in Hartford on Tuesday.

The Metropolitan District Commission officials confirmed a break in an 8-inch water main, which was installed in 1905.

The break caused a massive geyser shooting from the ground.

The main was shut down around 1:30 p.m. and one business, AT&T on Hicks Street, was affected. 

The repair was expected to be repaired between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m, but crews were able to fix the break by about 4 p.m. 

MDC said the extreme weather is a factor in several recent water main breaks. It is common to see an uptick in breaks during extreme cold.

A break in an 8-inch water main on Webster Hill Boulevard in West Hartford, near Webster Hill Elementary School, led to school dismissing at noon Tuesday because of it. 

MDC said crews were monitoring the leak, which initially appeared to be small enough to allow a delay in repairs so that Webster Hill School could remain in session today, but crews determined they had to shut down the water main and begin repairs this afternoon.

They said extreme weather is a factor in the occurrence of water main breaks.

The repairs are expected to be complete between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

A new Department of Labor proposal would change the system for tipping workers in the service industry, such as at restaurants.

The proposed change to an Obama administration regulation would allow restaurants to pool all tips only on the condition that they pay their servers the minimum wage: $7.25 an hour.

The idea is that the business would then share the pooled tips with all their employees, including cooks and dishwashers. Currently, restaurants are prohibited from pooling workers’ tips.

Some worker advocates worry, though, that this would mean no federal protection from employers who decide not to share the tips and instead keep a hefty portion.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for a restaurant server, counting tips, in 2016 was $9.61.

At Mama’s Daughter’s Diner on Irving Boulevard in Dallas, the breakfast crowd on a recent morning was split on the proposed change.

“If that’s going to be part of a new plan, a new strategy for waiters and waitresses I think that’s a great idea,” said Richard Martinez. “As long as there is not some minimum amount that the house is going to keep, regardless of how busy it gets.”

One table over, Charles Lohr — who said he eats out at restaurants for every single meal and pays thousands of dollars in tips every year — was very opposed to the change.

“A server’s income often can be 30 or 40 percent based on tips. That is a significant difference. I don’t believe that the per hour increase in her wage will make up the difference,” Lohr said.

Kevin Bradley, who was out to breakfast with his wife, agreed.

“If you get excellent service then the tip should reflect that and go toward the person, the individual, versus into a pot,” Bradley said.

Those who support the change generally feel it will help spread the wealth throughout, and help pay for improvements.

Patricia Smith, senior counsel at the National Employment Law Project and a former Obama administration solicitor of labor, countered to Eater.com that that the proposed regulation "allows an owner to pocket all the tips, or redistribute them. What if he or she chooses to pocket all of them and then no one gets the tips?”

The government has opened a public comment period now through Feb. 5. To weigh in, visit the Federal Register's website.

ONLINE: Click here to submit a formal comment on the Labor Dept. proposal

NBC 5's Ben Russell contributed to this report.

New Haven police are searching for a suspect accused of robbing the Liberty Bank branch on College Street Tuesday.

Police were called to the bank at 153 College Street just before 9 a.m.

According to police, the suspect demanded money from a teller then fled on foot with the cash. The suspect did not show or mention any weapon, and no one was hurt.

The suspect is described as male, around 5-foot-6, with dark hair. He was wearing a rust-colored hooded coat – possibly Carhartt brand or a similar style – a checked black, grey and white scarf, tan pants and tan work boots. He was wearing dark-framed glasses at the time of the crime.

The Connecticut Bankers Reward Association is offering a $500 reward to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest in this case.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect should contact New Haven police at 203-946-6304. Tips can be made anonymously.

We’ve been dealing with frigid temperatures and the governor is extending the state’s Severe Cold Weather protocol through 5 p.m. Monday as bitter cold continues.

Gov. Dannel Malloy activated the Severe Cold Weather protocol last week.

“Shelters and warming centers remain open throughout the state and can be located by calling 2-1-1 or visiting www.211ct.org. We also encourage folks to check in on seniors and neighbors in need to ensure they are safe and warm,” Malloy said in a statement.

The protocol directs staff from the state’s Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), the Department of Social Services (DSS), the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and the Department of Housing (DOH) to coordinate with 211 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to ensure that the state’s most vulnerable populations are protected from the severe cold weather.

A list of shelters and warming centers that are open across Connecticut can be located by calling 2-1-1 or visiting www.211ct.org.

A Hartford resident faces animal cruelty charges after a dog was found frozen to death on Adams Street, according to Hartford police.

Hartford police said that on New Year’s Day a concerned neighbor reported that a pit bull mix had been left outside during the bitter cold weather. Officers responded to the home on Adams Street and found the dead dog chained inside his doghouse behind the home.

Police said the dog did not have any protection against the cold. The dog was about 3 or 4 years old and showed signs of hypothermia and other signs of neglect.

The owner, who is incarcerated, is cooperating with police and said they had made arrangement for people to take care of the dog while he was away.

It is not clear but police said the dog may have been outside for a month. The dog was being kept in the basement before a pipe bust and then was moved outside.

Police said animal cruelty charges are pending and the investigation is ongoing. 

The Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School in New London will be closed through the rest of the week after sustaining water damage from a burst pipeline on Thursday.

A letter to families of students on Tuesday from Interim Superintendent Stephen Tracy says breaks in the water system serving the school’s heating system affected several classrooms, hallways and other spaces.

The pipeline burst happened sometime last week and left inches of water of the floor. Tracy said eight classrooms, a number of technology rooms, offices and hallways were drenched.

Tracy said it is necessary to close the school for contractors to restore affected areas, repair the system and remove damaged furniture, carpets and books. 

An outdoor vent with a flap works to draw fresh air into the heating system froze due to the cold temperatures. The flap being frozen shut lead to freezing air to enter the building and eventually breaking the steam lines, Tracy said. 

The school will be holding a meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the Nathan Hale cafeteria to provide the latest information on the condition of the school, cause of the damage and plans for getting the school back into operation.

The nearly 550 students that attend Nathan Hale are expected to be back in school. Since students are required to be in school for 180, Tracy said the district will need to find a way for students to make up the days lost because of the burst pipeline. 

A 59-year-old Fairfield woman has died after she was hit by a vehicle in Stamford on Tuesday morning, according to police. 

A 38-year-old Stamford man driving a 2016 Dodge Ram was heading south on Elm Street, turning onto North State Street, when he hit the woman, who was intending to cross the street at 7:09 a.m., police said. 

The driver stopped at the scene and stayed to cooperate with the police investigation, police said. 

The pedestrian was transported to Stamford Hospital by ambulance and died soon after arriving, police said. 

Authorities have not released her name because they are notifying family. 

Anyone who witnessed the crash should call Officers Hugh Mullin or Tom Drain at 203-977-4712.

A man was shot outside the Superior Courthouse in Waterbury Tuesday morning and police are searching for the shooter. 

Police said the victim was shot in the right leg around 11 a.m. and is in the hospital to be treated. 

Investigators are trying to determine the motive for the shooting, but said it was not a random act. 

Deputy Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo, of the Waterbury Police Department, said police response was quick. Several police officers were in the area at the time, marshals are assigned to the courthouse and state police were in the area.

The street outside the courthouse has been closed as investigators collect evidence. 

The victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, police said. 

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Waterbury police.

During the first White House briefing of the new year, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders addressed President Trump's views on Sen. Orrin Hatch announcing his retirement, protests in Iran, and putting "maximum pressure" on North Korea