Deep Freeze Envelops Canada as America Sees Hottest Christmas on Record.

A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped an intense and prolonged cold spell, with thermometers lingering between -20C and -40C for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in half a century.

Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C at the start of the week. Whitehorse also recorded a series of ten nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

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

December 26th was anticipated to usher in readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Forecast to Persist For Days to Come

The severe cold is forecast to persist for the foreseeable future. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon soon, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from historically high electricity consumption.

The lengthy cold snap originates from the Arctic vortex settling over Canada for much of December, enabling a surge of icy Arctic winds to descend. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity to American Heat

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced the hottest December 25th in their history as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May 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. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

High-Pressure System Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist for the remainder of the week and beyond, with abnormal warmth projected to move across the southeastern US in the coming days.

This heat is being driven by a strong upper-level 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, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.