States in the Northeast are warming more over the long and short-term than other U.S. regions, according to a USA Today analysis of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.
Why it matters: The changes have manifested in the unusual appearance of warm-water fish off the New England coast, the warming of the Great Lakes, and higher ocean temperatures, which influence coastal weather and push snowfall farther inland.
A typhoon that pummeled the central Philippines on Christmas Day has killed at least 16 people, Filipino authorities said Thursday, per AFP.
The big picture: Typhoon Phanfone packed ripped off roofs, downed power lines and caused internet and cell phone network outages as it made landfall packing winds of 120 miles mph, AFP notes. Some 3,930 travelers were still stranded at ports across the island nation following the storm by 8 a.m. Thursday local time, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.
Australia's wildlife carers are set to work "around the clock" through Christmas to deal with the impact of the deadly wildfires on the country's unique wildlife, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The fires have burned an estimated 12 million-plus acres across the country, per the Guardian. The impact on wildlife has been devastating, particularly for koalas. Conservationists fear over 2,000 of the marsupials have died in the blazes, SBS News reports.
