Prolonged Chill Grips the Great White North as US Records Hottest Christmas in History.
A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped an intense and prolonged cold spell, with readings persisting 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.
Enduring Chill of Extreme Cold
Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded ten separate nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.
The deep freeze spread farther south through Christmas week. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.
The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver readings no higher than -20 Celsius through a wide swath, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.
Likely to Linger Through Early January
This harsh winter weather is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. There are warnings of possible electrical grid strain in Yukon territory soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from record-high energy demand.
The lengthy cold snap originates from the Arctic vortex settling over Canada for much of December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. Next week, the cold air mass is expected to retreat north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over America and reach into portions of southern Canada.
Pronounced Disparity Compared to Stateside Temperatures
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. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May rather than the end of December.
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 similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.
Heat-Dome Effect Fuels Warmth
Above-average warmth is expected to continue on December 26th and into the weekend, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread through the American Southeast soon.
The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a powerful high-altitude 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. Descending air compresses and adiabatically warms, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.
