NORAD Begins Tracking Santa for 70th Year; Californian Drivers Urged to Reconsider Christmas Travel | NTD Good Morning (Dec. 24)

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, will once again be tracking Santa Claus this year, as he travels around the world to bring gifts to kids across the globe. What started 70 years ago as a mistaken phone call from a child to the former Continental Air Defense Command is now a beloved holiday tradition for families everywhere. More than a thousand volunteers will be staffing the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center to answer the hundreds of thousands of phone calls that come in from around the world.

Powerful winter storms are threatening holiday plans in Southern California. Millions in California are expected to hit the road for Christmas, but many are likely to meet with hazardous travel conditions. Officials are warning residents about potentially deadly flash flooding and mudslides, and asking them to reconsider their holiday travel plans. Local and state officials are gearing up to respond to emergencies throughout the week. The state has also deployed resources and first responders to a number of counties along the coast and in Southern California, with the California National Guard on standby to assist.

A fire and explosion erupted at the Bristol Health and Rehab Center near Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon. At least two have died and twenty more were inured. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said firefighters, rescue crews, and civilians were helping to get the nursing home residents to safety. Authorities are investigating a possible gas leak as the cause.