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Northern Canada has been gripped by a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975.

Prolonged Freeze of Extreme Cold

Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius at the start of the week. Whitehorse similarly reported ten separate nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The bitter chill extended its reach south during the holiday season. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius.

Boxing Day was expected to bring lows of at least -20C across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Forecast to Persist into the New Year

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue through the start of January. There are warnings of possible electrical grid strain in Yukon territory over the next several days, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from peak power usage levels.

This extended freeze is the result of the Arctic vortex settling above Canadian territory through December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. In the coming week, forecasts indicate this cold air will pull back northward allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity to American Heat

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw their warmest Christmas Day on record as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May rather than the end of December.

A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

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 strong upper-level ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, creating a heat-dome effect. This pattern establishes a broad area of high 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, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.