Prolonged Chill Envelops the Great White North as United States Experiences Warmest Christmas in History.

Northern Canada has been gripped by a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with readings persisting in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for multiple weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975.

Prolonged Freeze of Extreme Cold

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C at the start of the week. Whitehorse similarly reported a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

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

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver lows of at least -20C across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Likely to Linger For Days to Come

The severe cold is forecast to persist for the foreseeable future. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages soon, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from peak power usage levels.

The lengthy cold snap originates from the polar vortex remaining anchored 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.

Dramatic Difference Compared to Stateside Temperatures

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced historically high temperatures for Christmas as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May rather than the end of December.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

Atmospheric Ridge Fuels Warmth

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist for the remainder of the week and beyond, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep through the American Southeast soon.

This heat is being driven by a powerful high-altitude ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.