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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with temperatures hovering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for multiple weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, representing its most frigid December day in half a century.

Enduring Chill of Extreme Cold

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C earlier this week. Whitehorse also recorded 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

This Arctic air mass pushed further southward through Christmas week. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

December 26th was anticipated to usher in readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east.

Expected to Continue Through Early January

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger through the start of January. 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.

The lengthy cold snap originates from the Arctic vortex settling over Canada for much of December, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. In the coming week, forecasts indicate this cold air will pull back northward slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the US and into parts of southern Canada.

Dramatic Difference Compared to Stateside Temperatures

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced historically high temperatures for Christmas as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May rather than the end of December.

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. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

High-Pressure System Sustains High Temperatures

Above-average warmth is expected to continue for the remainder of the week and beyond, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread 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, creating a heat-dome effect. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure across much of the continent, trapping warm air near the surface. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.