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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with temperatures hovering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975.

Consecutive Nights Below -40C

Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C at the start of the week. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

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

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Likely to Linger into the New Year

The severe cold is forecast to persist through the start of January. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon 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 a stationary polar vortex over Canada for much of December, 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.

Dramatic Difference to American Heat

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw the hottest December 25th in their history as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May rather than the end of December.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.

High-Pressure System Sustains High Temperatures

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 unseasonable temperatures are powered by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure over a large portion of North America, trapping warm air near the surface. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.