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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with readings persisting from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for multiple weeks. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in nearly five decades.

Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded ten separate nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The deep freeze spread farther south through Christmas week. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C.

Boxing Day was expected to bring readings no higher than -20 Celsius across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Likely to Linger For Days to Come

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue through the start of January. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages soon, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from record-high energy demand.

This extended freeze is the result of a stationary polar vortex over Canada for much of December, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. Next week, the cold air mass is expected to retreat north gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across the US and into parts of southern Canada.

Dramatic Difference with US Warmth

Conversely, sections of America recorded historically high temperatures for Christmas as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May instead of the heart of winter.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

Atmospheric Ridge Fuels Warmth

Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread into the south-eastern states later in the week.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a powerful high-altitude ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, which holds warm air close to the ground. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.