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Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with readings persisting from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for multiple weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, representing its most frigid December day since 1975.

Consecutive Nights Below -40C

Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured sixteen nights in a row dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius earlier this week. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw a series of ten nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

The deep freeze spread farther south during the holiday season. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

Boxing Day was expected to bring readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east.

Forecast to Persist For Days to Come

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger into the new year. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from peak power usage levels.

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 slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the US and into parts of southern Canada.

Stark Contrast to American Heat

Conversely, sections of America recorded the hottest December 25th in their history 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.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.

Atmospheric Ridge Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist on December 26th and into the weekend, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep into the south-eastern states later in the week.

The warmth has been fuelled by a powerful high-altitude ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, trapping warm air near the surface. Descending air compresses and adiabatically warms, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.