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An intense cold spell has seized an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in half a century.

Prolonged Freeze Below -40C

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C earlier this week. Whitehorse similarly reported ten separate nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

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

December 26th was anticipated to usher in readings no higher than -20 Celsius through a wide swath, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Likely to Linger For Days to Come

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

This extended freeze is the result of the Arctic vortex settling above Canadian territory through December, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.

Stark Contrast to American Heat

Conversely, sections of America recorded the hottest December 25th in their history 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.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.

Heat-Dome Effect Sustains High Temperatures

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, 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. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system across much of the continent, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.