Deep Freeze Envelops Canada as America Sees Warmest Christmas in History.

An intense cold spell has seized a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with thermometers lingering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for an extended duration. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in nearly five decades.

Enduring Chill of Extreme Cold

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through 16 consecutive nights dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded a series of ten nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

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

Boxing Day was expected to bring readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Forecast to Persist Through Early January

The severe cold is forecast to persist for the foreseeable future. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon in the coming days, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from record-high energy demand.

This extended freeze is the result of the Arctic vortex settling 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 gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Dramatic Difference Compared to Stateside Temperatures

Conversely, sections of America recorded their warmest Christmas Day on record as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May than late December.

A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, 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.

Atmospheric Ridge Fuels Warmth

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist for the remainder of the week and beyond, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep into the south-eastern states later in the week.

The warmth has been fuelled 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, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.