16th December - Today's News: "Strongest Ever" Tornado Strikes Sydney Suburb

Kurnell is declared a 'natural disaster zone' after TORNADO smashes into Sydney suburb 'like a freight train' with 213km/h winds tearing roofs off homes in a matter of minutes and the aftermath of Sydney's freak tornado: Incredible pictures trace the path of destruction that reduced suburb of Kurnell to a disaster zone

And watch terrifying footage taken from inside the eye of 213km/h tornado that tore apart Kurnell - and led to Sydney suburb being declared a 'natural disaster zone'

Elsewhere, the moment terrified Christmas shoppers ran screaming after wild Sydney weather caused the roof to cave in at Bondi

Sydney's super storm: How it formed

It now looks like at least 13 killed, thousands flee as Typhoon Melor strikes Philippines

Record-setting Colorado snowstorm snarls traffic, forces airline cancellations

Here, a white Christmas looking unlikely as UK temperatures remain well above normal - indeed, I am nopt now expecting to see even an air frost this month.  Heating bill this season remains at zero ....

In Ireland Carrick-on-Shannon coping with second major flood in six years

An NOAA report shows that warmer air and sea, declining ice continue to trigger Arctic change - and 2015 was the warmest recorded year in the Arctic.    Perhaps no surprise then that in northern Alaska: North Slope permafrost thawing sooner than expected 

And globally, November was Earth's warmest such  month on record by a huge margin according to NASA data

Jet traffic linked to ice haze in the atmosphere

Are us carnivores off the hook?  A new study shows that vegetarian and 'healthy' are more harmful to the environment