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Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with readings persisting in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for an extended duration. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in half a century.

Prolonged Freeze in the Deep Minus Forties

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through sixteen nights in a row colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius earlier this week. Whitehorse similarly reported 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

The bitter chill extended its reach south through Christmas week. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius.

Boxing Day was expected to bring minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Forecast to Persist Through Early January

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue through the start of January. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon over the next several days, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from peak power usage levels.

This extended freeze is the result of a stationary polar vortex above Canadian territory through December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. Next week, the cold air mass is expected to retreat north gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity Compared to Stateside Temperatures

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced their warmest Christmas Day on record as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May instead of the heart of winter.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

High-Pressure System Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep across the southeastern US in the coming days.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a strong upper-level 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 over a large portion of North America, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.