In today's newsletter: President Biden issues a "full and unconditional pardon" of his son Hunter. Heavy lake-effect snow affects post-Thanksgiving travel. And some of the best Cyber Monday deals.

Here's what to know today.

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter despite saying repeatedly he would not use his executive authority to pardon him or commute his sentence.

Hunter Biden was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12 for his conviction on federal gun charges. He also was set to be sentenced on Dec. 16 in a separate criminal case in which he pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges. A senior White House official told NBC News that the president decided over the weekend to grant his son a pardon and began to inform his senior aides.

"I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision," Biden said in his statement.

In a separate statement, Hunter Biden said he had "admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction — mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport."

Hunter Biden’s criminal trial in June was the first involving the child of a sitting president. Pardoning him after that trial would have ignited a political firestorm for his father, who was campaigning for re-election. Biden is using his pardon power to ensure Hunter Biden does not spend time in jail as he nears the end of his term in the White House and has no future election to face.

Read the full story here.

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Arctic blast slams northern U.S., disrupting post-Thanksgiving travel

An Arctic blast brought snow, frost and dangerously cold winds to the northern Plains, the Midwest and the Great Lakes, creating rough travel conditions, as millions of people headed home from their Thanksgiving destinations.

More than 2.3 million people in parts of New York state, Michigan, Minnesota and West Virginia are covered by winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in multiple counties, including Erie, Oswego and Allegany. Lake effect snow will continue falling in western and north New York through Monday, where residents can expect 1 to 4 inches per hour, according to Hochul's office. Hochul warned New Yorkers to avoid unnecessary travel. More than 100 National Guard troops were staged in western New York “to support local communities,” she said in a statement.

The warnings state an extended period of subfreezing temperatures are likely today, and frost advisories warn that vegetation could be threatened by the cold. Across the Central and Eastern U.S. it will generally stay at or below freezing through the week.

The sun is at its solar maximum — which means more auroras are likely in store

Earth’s star has ramped up activity, with giant flares erupting off the surface and belching streams of plasma and charged particles into space. Several solar storms have been aimed at our planet. The sun’s flurry of outbursts, coming after years of relative quiet and calm, is a sure sign that the star has entered a busy phase of its natural cycle, according to experts: solar maximum.

Two major solar storms this year — one in May and another in early October — stunned skywatchers as far south as Texas and Alabama with night skies painted in bright pink, green and purple hues. The event in May was the strongest geomagnetic storm to hit Earth in two decades, according to NASA.

The spacecraft is on a path to swoop within 3.86 million miles of the solar surface — closer than any other human-made object in history. The active period is likely to continue over the next year, which means more solar storms and spectacular auroras could be in store.

NFL Week 12: Josh Allen makes NFL history and a big day for Steelers QB Russell Wilson

It was a big day for Steelers QB Russell Wilson during "Sunday Night Football." But, for the 49ers, they fear Christian McCaffrey's knee injury in loss to the Bills could be possibly season-ending. NBC News sport editor Greg Rosenstein shares the top moments:

⚡In snow-covered Buffalo, the Bills won their seventh straight game to improve to 10-2. Josh Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for a touchdown, run for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in the same game. Yes, you read that right. On one of his scores — a throw to Amari Cooper that was lateralled back to Allen, who ran it into the end zone — he was credited with both a passing and receiving score. Buffalo won 35-10 as San Francisco dropped to 5-7 on the season.

⏱️ Twelve different games were decided by seven points or less, the most in a single week in NFL history. In three of those victories — the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the game-winning play came in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime.

🏈The Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals in a 44-38 win on the road. Quarterback Russell Wilson had a vintage performance, throwing for 414 yards and three touchdowns in the victory to propel his team to 9-3. Cincinnati, playoff contenders entering the season, are just 4-8.

🤕Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was carted off the field late in the first half of his team’s eventual 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans with a head injury. As he was rushing for a first down and in the process of sliding, Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair collided with him. Al-Shaair was ejected for the illegal hit. Lawrence later said on social media he was “home and feeling better.”

Cyber Monday is here. That means it’s your last chance to shop for the best holiday sales. NBC Select's editors rounded up all the best tech deals and more, which they’ll keep updating in real time.

Native Hawaiian homeowners hit another breaking point

Lifelong Lahaina residents who squeezed out every avenue of assistance post-wildfires are at a unique crossroads: leave the only home they've known or figure out a way to stay. Both feel impossible.

For many Lahaina homeowners, rental assistance through their insurance expired in October. Now, they're feeling the multi-pronged pinch, with some people on the hook for paying their mortgages, rent and rebuilding costs no longer covered by insurance. Editor Jessica Machado traveled to Lahaina last month to talk to native Hawaiian homeowners who are struggling to figure out what comes next.

— Jessi Prois, NBC Asian America editorial director

Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown. Today's newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Both.

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