Holiday Forecast: What the Weather Means for You this Christmas to New Year

🎧 Whether you’re flying, driving, or staying put, this is the forecast you actually need.

As the year comes to a close, millions of Americans are on the move—and the atmosphere is anything but cooperative.

In this episode, we take a calm, science-based look at why the final week of 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most complex weather-and-travel periods in recent memory. More than 122 million people are traveling nationwide, including a record number of airline passengers, all while the country experiences sharp and unusual weather contrasts from coast to coast.

Across the central and southern U.S., record-challenging warmth is unfolding during what’s typically the coldest time of year. Meanwhile, the West Coast faces a multi-day atmospheric river, bringing flooding concerns, mountain snow, and rare severe-weather threats in California.

We also zoom out to place this week in context:

• Why 2025 ranks among the warmest years on record

• How a weakening La Niña is shaping current conditions

• What the transition toward ENSO-neutral could mean heading into early 2026

• Where weather may disrupt travel—and where it likely won’t

This episode isn’t about hype or headlines. It’s about understanding what’s happening where you live, how it affects travel this week, and what patterns are worth watching next.