Deep Freeze Tightens Hold on Canada as United States Experiences Hottest Christmas Ever.

An intense cold spell has seized a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering 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 in half a century.

Prolonged Freeze of Extreme Cold

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row below -40C, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C at the start of the week. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw a series of ten nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

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

December 26th was anticipated to usher in lows of at least -20C in numerous areas, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east.

Expected to Continue For Days to Come

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue into the new year. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon in the coming days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from record-high energy demand.

This extended freeze is the result of a stationary polar vortex across the northern part of the continent this month, which funnels frigid northern air southward. In the coming week, forecasts indicate this cold air will pull back northward allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity to American Heat

Conversely, sections of America recorded their warmest Christmas Day on record as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May instead of the heart of winter.

A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. 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 similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.

Atmospheric Ridge Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with abnormal warmth projected to move through the American Southeast soon.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a strong upper-level ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure over a large portion of North America, which holds warm air close to the ground. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.