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Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with thermometers lingering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for weeks. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading in nearly five decades.

Prolonged Freeze of Extreme Cold

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through over two straight weeks of nights below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C at the start of the week. Whitehorse also recorded 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.

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C across many regions, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Forecast to Persist For Days to Come

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue 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 record-high energy demand.

The prolonged chill has been caused by the polar vortex remaining anchored above Canadian territory through December, enabling a surge of icy Arctic winds to descend. In the coming week, forecasts indicate this cold air will pull back northward gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.

Stark Contrast with US Warmth

Conversely, sections of America recorded the hottest December 25th in their history as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring rather than the end of December.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.

Atmospheric Ridge 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.

The warmth has been fuelled by a robust atmospheric ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure over a large portion of North America, trapping warm air near the surface. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.