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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with readings persisting in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for an extended duration. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading 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 the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius earlier this week. Whitehorse also recorded a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

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

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver lows of at least -20C across many regions, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east.

Expected to Continue For Days to Come

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. There are warnings of possible electrical grid strain in Yukon territory over the next several days, as the system endures record-high pressure from record-high energy demand.

The lengthy cold snap originates from a stationary polar vortex across the northern part of the continent this month, which funnels frigid northern air southward. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Stark Contrast with US Warmth

Conversely, sections of America recorded their warmest Christmas Day on record as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May instead of the heart of winter.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

Atmospheric Ridge Fuels Warmth

Above-average warmth is expected to continue through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread across the southeastern US in the coming days.

This heat is being driven by a powerful high-altitude ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system over a large portion of North America, which holds warm air close to the ground. Descending air compresses and adiabatically warms, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.