NPR News Now – December 25, 2025, 3AM EST

Host: Dan Ronan | Runtime: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise roundup of major national headlines as of early Christmas morning. The top stories include a state of emergency in Southern California due to severe storms, updates on financial markets closing for the holiday, efforts by airlines to manage holiday travel disruptions, progress on the release of Jeffrey Epstein files, the cultural tradition of tamaladas among Latino families, and the passing of Dr. Neal Frank, a renowned figure in hurricane forecasting.

Key Discussion Points

1. Southern California State of Emergency: Severe Weather

• [00:13-01:09]
  • Six Southern California counties are under a state of emergency due to relentless rains and high winds driven by atmospheric rivers.
  • The emergency declaration will expedite aid and resources for first responders.
  • Michael Burdick, Alameda resident, describes his preparations:
    • Quote: “We got some sandbags, but we figured with this whole downpour coming for the next couple days, we have a pool so the pool might overflow and then plus we have all the debris from up there from up in the fire area.” (Michael Burdick, 00:47)
    • Concerns include flooding from pooled water and debris flow from fire-affected areas.
  • High water impacts major highways—parts of Interstate 5 and the Ventura Freeway are impassable.

2. Holiday Financial Markets Update

• [01:09-02:01]
  • U.S. markets are closed Thursday, December 25, for the Christmas holiday; trading resumes Friday at 9:30 AM Eastern.
  • On the prior shortened holiday session:
    • Dow Jones: Up 0.6 points
    • Nasdaq: Up 2.1 points
    • S&P: Up 0.3 points

3. Holiday Air Travel & Airline Tech Challenges

• [02:01-02:42]
  • Millions of Americans are traveling for the holidays.
  • Airlines, especially Southwest, strive to avoid disruptions like the 2022 winter storm meltdown.
  • Southwest CIO Lauren Woods mentions investments in technology to quicken recovery from IT outages:
    • Quote: “We may have a tech outage, but you care less about it. If it's a five minute recovery and I have many of those versus I had one major tech outage and it took me down for a day.” (Lauren Woods, 02:19)
  • Focus industry-wide is on minimizing delays and grounding times for planes.

4. Jeffrey Epstein Files Release Delayed

• [02:42-03:35]
  • The Department of Justice announces further delays in releasing all Epstein-related files, which were due by December 19 per Congress.
  • The DOJ cites the recent discovery of an additional one million potentially relevant documents by the Southern District of New York and the FBI.
  • No details shared on when DOJ was informed of these documents.

5. Tamales Traditions During the Holidays

• [03:35-04:16]
  • Latino families, particularly in Texas, prepare tamales as part of their Christmas celebrations.
  • Joey Palacios reports from San Antonio, highlighting the communal nature of tamaladas (tamale-making gatherings).
  • Anna Fossum, a family member participating, remarks:
    • Quote: “That's what the tamalada means to me. Yes, we're making tamales, but we're also making new memories.” (Anna Fossum, 03:57)
  • The process involves group effort, storytelling, and tradition.

6. Remembering Dr. Neal Frank, Hurricane Forecasting Pioneer

• [04:16-04:56]
  • Dr. Neal Frank, longtime chief/director of the National Hurricane Center, dies at 94 in Houston, Texas.
  • Frank revolutionized hurricane forecasting with satellite technology in the 1970s and '80s, becoming a well-known television figure.
  • After 25 years at the Center, he continued his meteorological career on TV, improving public awareness around severe storms.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On preparing for flooding in California:
  “I can go out, grab some sandbags, you know, just so we're safe because our house is like a little bit lower. So it's at a slope so the...”
  — Michael Burdick, responding to flood risks (00:47)

• On airline tech outages:
  “We may have a tech outage, but you care less about it. If it's a five minute recovery...versus...one major tech outage and it took me down for a day.”
  — Lauren Woods, Southwest CIO (02:19)

• On holiday tamalada traditions:
  “That's what the tamalada means to me. Yes, we're making tamales, but we're also making new memories.”
  — Anna Fossum, San Antonio (03:57)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:13: Southern California weather emergency declared
• 00:47: Resident Michael Burdick describes local flood concerns
• 01:09: Financial markets update and holiday trading
• 02:01: Holiday air travel; Southwest's tech investments
• 02:42: DOJ update on Epstein files
• 03:35: Tamale-making traditions in Latino families
• 04:16: Obituary of Dr. Neal Frank, hurricane forecasting pioneer

This summary provides a full, story-by-story look at the December 25, 2025, 3AM EST edition of NPR News Now, capturing the language and urgency of the original newscast while highlighting relevant quotes and moments for listeners seeking a detailed news briefing.