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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering 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 since 1975.

Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties

Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

The deep freeze spread farther south over the festive period. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C.

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver lows of at least -20C in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Expected to Continue 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 the Arctic vortex settling over Canada for much of December, 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 the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.

Pronounced Disparity to American Heat

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced their warmest Christmas Day on record 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.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.

Heat-Dome Effect Sustains High Temperatures

Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last on December 26th and into the weekend, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep across the southeastern US in the coming days.

This heat is being driven by a powerful high-altitude ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, creating a heat-dome effect. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system blanketing a significant part of the landmass, trapping warm air near the surface. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.