Deep Freeze Grips the Great White North as US Records Most Unseasonably Mild Christmas on Record.
An intense cold spell has seized a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with temperatures hovering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for an extended duration. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975.
Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties
Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius at the start of the week. 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. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.
December 26th was anticipated to usher in minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C through a wide swath, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east.
Forecast to Persist into the New Year
The severe cold is forecast to persist through the start of January. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from record-high energy demand.
This extended freeze is the result of the Arctic vortex settling across the northern part of the continent this month, enabling a surge of icy Arctic winds to descend. Next week, the cold air mass is expected to retreat north allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.
Pronounced Disparity with US Warmth
In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced historically high temperatures for Christmas 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.
Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.
Heat-Dome Effect Sustains High Temperatures
Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist on December 26th and into the weekend, with abnormal warmth projected to move across the southeastern US in the coming days.
The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a robust atmospheric ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, creating a heat-dome effect. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure across much of the continent, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.
