Deep Freeze Envelops the Great White North as America Sees Most Unseasonably Mild Christmas in History.
An intense cold spell has seized a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with thermometers lingering between -20C and -40C for an extended duration. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, its coldest December temperature in half a century.
Consecutive Nights Below -40C
In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C on Monday. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
This Arctic air mass pushed further southward over the festive period. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius.
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.
Expected to Continue For Days to Come
The severe cold is forecast to persist for the foreseeable future. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from historically high electricity consumption.
This extended freeze is the result of 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 slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.
Pronounced Disparity with US Warmth
Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw the hottest December 25th in their history as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May instead of the heart of winter.
Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.
High-Pressure System Sustains High Temperatures
Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last for the remainder of the week and beyond, with abnormal warmth projected to move through the American Southeast soon.
This heat is being driven by a robust atmospheric ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, creating a heat-dome effect. 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, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.
