Now, More Than Ever
Daily safety & preparedness brief — Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Quick Brief
- Winter storms: Major snow, ice, and high winds across the northern U.S. and parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic are creating dangerous travel conditions.
- West Coast rain: Successive atmospheric rivers are bringing heavy rain and flood risk to the Pacific Northwest.
- Auto safety: Regulators have expanded an investigation into Waymo’s robotaxis and the company is issuing a software recall after reports that vehicles passed stopped school buses. Additional vehicle recalls remain in focus.:
- Guns & law: Washington State’s ban on certain semiautomatic “assault weapons” continues to withstand court challenges, while Congress is considering a national concealed carry reciprocity bill and the Supreme Court has taken up a federal gun case (Hemani).
- Fire outlook: Significant wildfire potential is mostly low through winter, but pockets of elevated risk persist in parts of the South, and California still expects periods of elevated fire danger through the end of 2025.
- Space weather: NOAA is forecasting a strong geomagnetic storm today, which could bring bright auroras and minor disruptions to communications and navigation.
Today’s Headlines
1. Winter Storms: Travel Hazards Across Multiple Regions
A strong Alberta clipper and related systems are driving snow, sleet, and freezing rain across parts of the northern Plains, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and interior Northeast, with gusty winds turning some areas into near–white-out or “ground blizzard” conditions. Travel on major interstates in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and nearby states may be hazardous, with slick roads and reduced visibility.
Farther southeast, portions of Virginia and northern North Carolina are under Winter Weather Advisories and Warnings, with several inches of snow possible and hazardous driving expected.
If you are traveling, especially long distance or overnight, check your local National Weather Service forecast, road conditions, and airline updates before you go, and build extra time into your plans.
2. Atmospheric River in the Pacific Northwest
Two successive atmospheric river pulses are bringing multi-day heavy rain, flooding risk, and strong winds to parts of Washington, Oregon, and surrounding areas. These events can trigger flash flooding, river rises, shallow landslides, and power outages, particularly in vulnerable low-lying or burn-scarred areas.
Residents in affected zones should follow local flood advisories, avoid driving through water-covered roads, and secure outdoor items that could become windborne.
3. Auto Safety: Waymo Investigation and Other Recalls
Federal regulators at NHTSA have expanded an investigation into Waymo’s autonomous vehicles after reports that some robotaxis drove around stopped school buses displaying flashing lights and stop arms. Waymo is issuing a voluntary software recall and says it is addressing the issue.
Separately, NHTSA has listed new commercial vehicle recalls this week, and earlier this month Toyota recalled over 125,000 vehicles due to potential engine stalling linked to manufacturing debris, while hundreds of thousands of Honda SUVs and vans remain under investigation for possible safety issues.