The Weather Outside is Frightful in Some Places

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update

Episode: The Weather Outside is Frightful in Some Places
Date: December 24, 2025
Host: Dave Anthony (FOX News Podcasts)

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Episode Overview

This episode covers critical national and international news just ahead of Christmas Eve. The main focuses are severe weather impacting Southern California, a tragic police shooting in Delaware, an explosion at a Pennsylvania nursing home, economic updates, international conflicts in Russia/Ukraine and Thailand/Cambodia, and a light-hearted update on the NORAD Santa Tracker. The tone remains urgent and factual, with quick transitions between different headlines.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Severe Weather in Southern California

• [00:02] Dave Anthony reports intense rain in Southern California, particularly perilous in regions still recovering from January wildfires.
• This has triggered flash flood watches and evacuation orders.
• [00:15] Mayor Karen Bass:

  “My message to Angelenos as we go into the Christmas holiday is to stay safe, be prepared and stay informed.”

• [00:23] Britta Merwin (Fox Weather Meteorologist) explains the severity:

  "So the highest urgency of flash flood preparedness needed for Southern California. And we do drop it to a level three for tomorrow. So unfortunately, we're looking at several inches of rain in areas that are very hard hit from the recent burn scars." [00:29]

• The risk is especially high in "burn scar" regions particularly vulnerable to flash flooding due to vegetation loss from recent fires.
• [00:41] Northern California is also facing possible flooding.

2. Trooper Murder in Delaware

• [00:47] Dave Anthony details the murder of a Delaware state trooper at a DMV.
• Rashawn Rich (State Police Spokesman):

  “The suspect approached a trooper who was working an overtime assignment sitting at the reception desk and shot him.”

• The officer reportedly "pushed a DMV worker out of the way before being shot again" [00:55].
• The gunman was killed by police at the scene.

3. Explosion at Pennsylvania Nursing Home

• [01:13] Hank Flynn (FOX 29 TV) from the scene in Bristol Township:

  “There were initially believed to be three deaths here. One of the people taken to Lower Bucks Hospital was resuscitated, so it remains two dead, 20 hospitalized as an explosion yesterday afternoon rocked this Silver Lake nursing home and REH rehabilitation facility.”

• Investigation is ongoing, with a suspected natural gas leak being considered as the cause.

4. Economic Update

• [01:27] Dave Anthony shares latest employment data:
  • Unemployment claims slightly down: 214,000 new claims.
  • Ongoing claims are up by 38,000, totaling 1.92 million.
  • Contrast: "Some of us have to work on Christmas Eve, but not government employees."
• [01:40] Narration about President Trump’s executive order:

  "President Trump signed an executive order adding today and Friday to the Christmas Day federal holiday...just for this year. It would require an act of Congress to create a permanent federal holiday."

• Gives federal workers a longer holiday weekend, but the change is temporary.

5. International News: Russia & Thailand

• [02:31] Moscow:
  • Another explosion leaves three dead (including two police officers).
  • Follows a recent car bombing that killed a Russian general.
  • Investigation ongoing into Ukraine's possible involvement.
  • Ukraine’s President Zelensky notes "consensus on several key issues in US Brokered peace talks" but continued disagreement over territorial control.
• [02:57] Southeast Asia (Jonathan Savage reporting):
  • Ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia has not halted hostilities over territory along their border.
  • The rushed ceasefire in October was witnessed by President Trump, but fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands near the conflict zone.

  “It’s a decades old dispute that flared up this year with deadly consequences. Even a President Trump backed ceasefire deal hasn’t halted hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia.” [02:57]

6. Christmas Update: NORAD Santa Tracker

• [03:37] Tonya J. Powers shares the history and current outreach of NORAD’s Santa Tracker:

  "Every year on December 24, the North American Aerospace Defense Command tracks Santa's sleigh as he makes his way around the world...You can track [e-mail] or call 1-877-Hi-NORAD from 4am until midnight, Mountain Standard Time."

• [04:16] Dave Anthony adds:

  "I'm looking at that tracker now. It says Santa's in Japan and the gifts delivered counter is up to 1.09 billion."

• A light-hearted segment providing holiday levity amidst heavier headlines.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Karen Bass [00:15]:
  "My message to Angelenos as we go into the Christmas holiday is to stay safe, be prepared and stay informed."
• Britta Merwin [00:29]:
  "The highest urgency of flash flood preparedness needed for Southern California... we're looking at several inches of rain in areas that are very hard hit from the recent burn scars."
• Rashawn Rich [00:47]:
  "The suspect approached a trooper who was working an overtime assignment sitting at the reception desk and shot him."
• Hank Flynn [01:13]:
  "It remains two dead, 20 hospitalized as an explosion yesterday afternoon rocked this Silver Lake nursing home and REH rehabilitation facility."
• Jonathan Savage [02:57]:
  "It's a decades old dispute that flared up this year with deadly consequences. Even a President Trump backed ceasefire deal hasn't halted hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia."
• Tonya J. Powers [03:37]:
  "The tradition of tracking Santa started in 1955 when a young child accidentally called the unlisted phone number of the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center...and it's been going on ever since."

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:02] – Southern California Weather Emergency
• [00:15] – Mayor Karen Bass Urges Preparedness
• [00:23] – Meteorologist: Flash Flood Risk
• [00:47] – Delaware Trooper Shooting
• [01:13] – Pennsylvania Nursing Home Explosion
• [01:27] – Economic Update & Federal Holiday Order
• [02:31] – Explosions & Conflict in Russia; Ukraine Peacetalks
• [02:57] – Thailand-Cambodia Conflict
• [03:37] – NORAD Santa Tracker
• [04:16] – Santa Tracker Live Update

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Summary

This episode of Fox News Hourly Update delivers a concise but comprehensive sweep of urgent weather news in California, a law enforcement tragedy in Delaware, a deadly Pennsylvania explosion, current stats on unemployment, and significant updates from global hotspots. It closes on a festive, communal note with the NORAD Santa tracker, offering listeners both timely warnings and a touch of holiday cheer.

Transcript

[Dave Anthony]

The weather outside is frightful. I'm Dave Anthony, FOX News for Southern California. Heavy rain and that could trigger flash floods, especially in areas scorched by wildfires in January, leading to evacuation orders.

[Karen Bass]

My message to Angelenos as we go into the Christmas holiday is to stay safe, be prepared and stay informed.

[Dave Anthony]

La Mayor Karen Bass. As for the flooding threat, Fox Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin reports level four out of four.

[Britta Merwin]

So the highest urgency of flash flood preparedness needed for Southern California. And we do drop it to a level three for tomorrow. So unfortunately, we're looking at several inches of rain in areas that are very hard hit from the recent burn scars.

[Dave Anthony]

There could also be more flooding in Northern California. They're mourning a state trooper murdered in Delaware at a DMV office.

[Rashawn Rich]

The suspect approached a trooper who was working an overtime assignment sitting at the reception desk and shot him.

[Dave Anthony]

And state police spokesman Rashawn Rich says that trooper was a hero, pushing a DMV worker out of the way before being shot again. A police officer shot and killed the gunman. What caused a natural gas leak. And was that the cause of two explosions at a nursing home in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania. It's being investigated. Hank Flynn with Fox 29 TV is there.

[Hank Flynn]

There were initially believed to be three deaths here. One of the people taken to Lower Bugs Hospital was resuscitated, so it remains two dead, 20 hospitalized as an explosion yesterday afternoon rocked this Silver Lake nursing home and REH rehabilitation facility.

[Dave Anthony]

We got news on the economy showing a slight decrease in unemployment. Last week, 214,000 claim as the number of people still collecting jobless Benefits rose by 38,001.92 million. Some of us have to work on Christmas Eve, but not government employees.

[Narrator (about President Trump)]

President Trump signed an executive order adding today and Friday to the Christmas Day federal holiday. The action gives federal workers a long weekend, but just for this year. It would require an act of Congress to create a permanent federal federal holiday.

[Dave Anthony]

America's listening to FOX News.

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[Dave Anthony]

There was another explosion today in Moscow, killing three people, including two police officers. Two days after a car bombing in Moscow killed a high ranking Russian general and investigators are probing if Ukraine is responsible, as Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky says they have consensus on several key issues in US Brokered peace talks aimed at ending the war with Russia, though there is still no agreement, he says, on who gets what territory being fought over after Russia's invasion. Now to another conflict.

[Jonathan Savage]

It's a decades old dispute that flared up this year with deadly consequences. Even a President Trump backed ceasefire deal hasn't halted hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia. The two sides meet today for what are described as detailed negotiations. Thailand says October's ceasefire was rushed through so it could be witnessed by President Trump. The fighting is over patches of territory claimed by both nations along their shared border. Hundreds of thousands of people who live near the conflict zone have been displaced. Jonathan Savage, FOX NEWS it is already.

[Dave Anthony]

Christmas on the other side of the world or late Christmas Eve. So Santa's been busy for hours.

[Tonya J. Powers / Ainsley Earhart]

Every year on December 24, the North American Aerospace Defense Command tracks Santa's sleigh as he makes his way around the world. More than 1,000 volunteers will answer questions about Santa's location. The tradition of tracking Santa started in 1955 when a young child accidentally called the unlisted phone number of the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. NORAD's predecessor, the Operations director, answered the phone and instructed his staff to check the radar for Santa sightings. And it's been going on ever since. You can track [e-mail] or call 1-877-High- NORAD from 4am until midnight, Mountain Standard Time. Tonya J.

[Dave Anthony]

Powers, Fox News I'm looking at that tracker now. It says Santa's in Japan and the gifts delivered counter is up to 1.09 billion. I'm Dave Anthony. This is FOX News.

[Tonya J. Powers / Ainsley Earhart]

This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of.

[Hank Flynn]

Jesus, a listening experience that will provide hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.