Deep Freeze Envelops the Great White North as US Records Warmest Christmas in History.
An intense cold spell has seized a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, representing its most frigid December day since 1975.
Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties
Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured sixteen nights in a row below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
The deep freeze spread farther south over the festive period. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C.
Boxing Day was expected to bring lows of at least -20C in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.
Likely to Linger into the New Year
This harsh winter weather is expected to continue through the start of January. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from peak power usage levels.
The prolonged chill has been caused by a stationary polar vortex across the northern part of the continent this month, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across the US and into parts of southern Canada.
Pronounced Disparity with US Warmth
In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced historically high temperatures for Christmas as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring instead of the heart of winter.
Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.
Heat-Dome Effect Fuels Warmth
Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep across the southeastern US in the coming days.
This heat is being driven by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure over a large portion of North America, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.
