Name: Extreme weather grips U.S. as the new year begins
Uploaded: 2026-01-02T08:42:42.734Z
Duration: 1 min 31 s
Description: Heavy snow and a rare thundersnow hit the Northeast as flooding rain soaks parts of California and a deep freeze reaches the South. Carter Evans and John Elliot have more.

Heavy snow and a rare thundersnow hit the Northeast as flooding rain soaks parts of California and a deep freeze reaches the South. Carter Evans and John Elliot have more.

California

The start of the new year in the United States was marked by a series of extreme weather events. Heavy snowfall reached up to 30 inches in New York, while a rare thundersnow event was recorded in western Pennsylvania before storms blanketed eastern cities. 

In the south, Florida experienced unusually low temperatures, prompting hundreds of manatees to gather for warmth. Meanwhile, heavy rain in California led to flooding and rescues in San Diego, and the Rose Parade in Pasadena was affected by rain for the first time in nearly 20 years, resulting in canceled pregame festivities.

Extreme weather grips U.S. as the new year begins

Here in the United States, some stormy weather to start the new year. Snow in the northeast and in the west, it rained on the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Here's Carter Evans. The snow machine is still cranking through the New Year's holiday, piling as high as 30 inches in New York. Cell phone video shows a rare thundersnow event passing through western Pennsylvania overnight before storms blanketed cities in the east. The deep freeze extends all the way south to the Sunshine State, where lows reached into the 20s today. Hundreds of manatees huddled for warmth in the waters off Florida's western coast. Conservationists say the marine mammals spend each winter in this balmy spot, then return to the Gulf when waters warm back up in April. New Year's Day storms dumped heavy rain on San Diego, prompting flooding and rescues in waterlogged intersections. Some mountain communities saw as much as 3 1⁄2 inches, raising flood and mudslide concerns, especially around burn scar areas. Rain fell on the Rose Parade in Pasadena, and it's a wet bowl game for the first time in nearly 20 years. I mean, the rain could make it interesting, too. IU knows how to handle the rain. That's where we were born. We're Hoosiers. We know how to deal with this. The weather forced pregame festivities here to be canceled, and the rain has tapered off now, but it's still very soggy, which raised the stakes on the field. Jerrica? All right, thanks so much, Carter.

Israel says more than 30 aid groups have failed to comply with new rules to register their workers and will have access to Gaza suspended. The banned organizations say the rules will have horrific consequences during deadly floods as it tries to rebuild just months into a fragile ceasefire.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israel’s ban on dozens of aid groups from Gaza begins

A U.S. intelligence assessment has determined that Ukraine is not responsible for what Russia claims was a drone strike targeting Vladimir Putin’s residence. Both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave year-end news conferences amid continuing discussions about a peace deal held up by key unsettled issues.

Moscow

CIA rejects Russia’s claim Ukraine tried to hit Putin’s residence

Zohran Mamdani was officially inaugurated as the mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim and first immigrant in half a century to hold the position. The public ceremony at City Hall featured Senator Bernie Sanders administering the oath of office, followed by a community celebration on Broadway.

New York

Mayor Zohran Mamdani inaugurated at New York’s City Hall

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Taipei City

Taiwan president signals tougher stance on Beijing

For several years, the French government has explored ways to limit teenagers’ access to social media due to its harmful impact on mental health, and new guidance from the European Commission could now make it easier for France to pass legislation on the matter.

Paris

France proposes social media ban, following Australian model

Israel will enforce a ban on 37 international NGOs in the Gaza Strip, citing failure to meet security and transparency standards.

Israel says it 'will enforce' ban on 37 NGOs in Gaza

Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight on Thursday, marking a historic moment with a low-key swearing-in ceremony held deep beneath Manhattan. The Democrat, who at 34 is the city’s youngest mayor in generations, takes office as one of the most closely watched political figures in the U.S.

Mamdani becomes New York City mayor

Dozens of people have been killed and 100 injured, most of them seriously, after a fire tore through a crowded bar during a New Year's Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, Swiss officials said.

Crans-Montana

Dozens killed, 100 injured in fire in Swiss ski resort bar

President Donald Trump said his administration was removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, but he added in his social media post that federal forces will "come back" if crime rates go up.

Chicago

Trump: National Guard being removed from Chicago, LA and Portland

Finnish police have seized a cargo ship suspected of sabotaging an undersea telecom cable between Helsinki and Estonia on December 31. Authorities say the vessel was sailing from Russia to Israel when it was intercepted in the Gulf of Finland.

Helsinki

Finland seizes Russia-linked ship over suspected cable sabotage

Russia's defense ministry released video footage on Wednesday (December 31) of what it said was a downed drone at a briefing intended to show Ukraine tried this week to attack a presidential residence and challenge Kyiv's denials that such an attack took place.

Russia releases video footage to challenge Kyiv over alleged attack

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Israel to block dozens of aid groups working in war-battered Gaza

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Council of the City of Sydney

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Caracas

Trump says U.S. strike hit dock in Venezuela

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Washington

Trump says U.S. launched strike on boat dock inside Venezuela

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Al Mukalla

Saudi Arabia bombs port in Yemen

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The UAE denies shipping weapons to Yemen after overnight Saudi strike

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Russia will toughen negotiating stance on war in Ukraine

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China fires rockets towards Taiwan in war games simulating blockade

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U.S. strike hits Venezuelan port facility

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Kuala Lumpur

Search resumes for Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared in 2014

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Krong Poi Pet

Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire holds as 72-hour observation period ends

Head of Yemen's presidential council, which is supported by Saudi Arabia, says UAE-backed forces in the country should leave within 24 hours.

Yemen’s presidential council cancels UAE defence deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States could support another major strike on Iran were it to resume rebuilding its ballistic missile or nuclear weapons programs and warned Hamas of severe consequences if it does not disarm.

Florida

Trump warns Iran of possible strike, urges Hamas to disarm

U.S. hit an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, Trump says, as Pentagon carries out another deadly strike in the Pacific. This claim follows a series of U.S. strikes on boats in the Eastern Pacific, raising the total number of known strikes to 31 and resulting in over 100 deaths.

Trump claims attack on a dock in Venezuela, strikes kill two in Pacific

The Taiwanese government says it has placed its forces on alert as China intensifies its military presence in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and launches air, navy and rocket drills around the island.

Taiwan's forces on alert as China launches military drills

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is denying Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s claim that Ukraine tried to attack President Vladimir Putin's residence in northern Russia.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy denies Russian claim that Ukraine targeted Putin’s residence

President Trump said after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Hamas must disarm soon or "there will be hell to pay." He said the next phase of the Gaza peace plan could move forward quickly if Hamas disarms.

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Breakdown