Why it matters: The month's warmth means that the meteorological winter of 2023-2024 — which includes December, January and February — will very likely be the Lower 48 states' warmest on record.
A "potentially life-threatening," blizzard is slamming the Sierra Nevada with up to 12 feet of snow — making mountain travel "extremely dangerous to impossible" into the weekend, the National Weather Service warns.
The big picture: This "extremely potent" winter storm also threatens the higher terrain of Washington and Oregon, parts of the Great Basin and Rockies as well, per an NWS forecast discussion Friday.
For the first time, the number of international patents filed from inventors in China has surpassed applications from the U.S., according to a new report.
Why it matters: Patent data is a key indicator of science and technology prowess — and the economic and national security strength that come with it.
