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Northern Canada has been gripped by a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with readings persisting 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 since 1975.

Consecutive Nights of Extreme Cold

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced 16 consecutive nights dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C earlier this week. Whitehorse similarly reported a series of ten nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The bitter chill extended its reach south during the holiday season. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

Boxing Day was expected to bring readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Expected to Continue into the New Year

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger for the foreseeable future. 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 historically high electricity consumption.

The prolonged chill has been caused by the polar vortex remaining anchored 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 slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.

Stark Contrast to American Heat

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced historically high temperatures for Christmas as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring instead of the heart of winter.

A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. 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 Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread into the south-eastern states later in the week.

The warmth has been fuelled by a robust atmospheric ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, creating a heat-dome effect. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system blanketing a significant part of the landmass, trapping warm air near the surface. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.