Deep Freeze Envelops the Great White North as United States Experiences Most Unseasonably Mild Christmas in History.
Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with thermometers lingering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for multiple weeks. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975.
Enduring Chill of Extreme Cold
Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C earlier this week. Whitehorse also recorded ten separate nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
The deep freeze spread farther 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 across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.
Expected to Continue Through Early January
This harsh winter weather is expected to continue into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from peak power usage levels.
The prolonged chill has been caused by a stationary polar vortex across the northern part of the continent this month, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.
Dramatic Difference Compared to Stateside Temperatures
Conversely, sections of America recorded the hottest December 25th in their history as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May rather than the end of December.
Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. 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 also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.
High-Pressure System Drives the Heat
Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last on December 26th and into the weekend, with abnormal warmth projected to move across the southeastern US in the coming days.
The warmth has been fuelled by a robust atmospheric ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure over a large portion of North America, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.
