Arctic Blast Grips the Great White North as United States Experiences Warmest Christmas Ever.

Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature in half a century.

Consecutive Nights of Extreme Cold

Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured sixteen nights in a row below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C at the start of the week. Whitehorse similarly reported 10 nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The deep freeze spread farther south during the holiday season. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

Boxing Day was expected to bring minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Likely to Linger Through Early January

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages over the next several days, as the system endures record-high pressure from record-high energy demand.

The prolonged chill has been caused by a stationary polar vortex above Canadian territory through December, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the US and into parts of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity Compared to Stateside Temperatures

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw the hottest December 25th in their history as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring instead of the heart of winter.

A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.

High-Pressure System Sustains High Temperatures

Above-average warmth is expected to continue through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread through the American Southeast soon.

This heat is being driven by a robust atmospheric ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system across much of the continent, which holds warm air close to the ground. Descending air compresses and adiabatically warms, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.