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Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975.

Consecutive Nights of Extreme Cold

Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

The bitter chill extended its reach south during the holiday season. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C.

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver lows of at least -20C across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Forecast to Persist 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 soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from historically high electricity consumption.

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. 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.

Stark Contrast with US Warmth

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw historically high temperatures for Christmas as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring than late 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 similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.

Atmospheric Ridge Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist on December 26th and into the weekend, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread through the American Southeast soon.

The warmth has been fuelled by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure over a large portion of North America, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.