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Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for an extended duration. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975.

Prolonged Freeze Below -40C

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced 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 the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The bitter chill extended its reach south 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 across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Likely to Linger Through Early January

The severe cold is forecast to persist for the foreseeable future. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from peak power usage levels.

The prolonged chill has been caused by 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 slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Stark Contrast with US Warmth

Conversely, sections of America recorded historically high temperatures for Christmas 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.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

Heat-Dome Effect Sustains High Temperatures

Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep through the American Southeast soon.

This heat is being driven by a powerful high-altitude ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system blanketing a significant part of the landmass, trapping warm air near the surface. Descending air compresses and adiabatically warms, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.