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An intense cold spell has seized an intense and prolonged cold spell, with thermometers lingering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in nearly five decades.

Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through over two straight weeks of nights dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded a series of ten nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The deep freeze spread farther south through Christmas week. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius.

December 26th was anticipated to usher in minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C in numerous areas, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Expected to Continue For Days to Come

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages soon, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from record-high energy demand.

This extended freeze is the result of a stationary polar vortex across the northern part of the continent this month, which funnels frigid northern air southward. 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.

Stark Contrast Compared to Stateside Temperatures

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw their warmest Christmas Day on record as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring instead of the heart of winter.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.

High-Pressure System Drives the Heat

Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last on December 26th and into the weekend, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep across the southeastern US in the coming days.

This heat is being driven by a strong upper-level ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure across much of the continent, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.