Arctic Blast Grips the Great White North as America Sees Hottest Christmas in History.
An intense cold spell has seized a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with temperatures hovering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for an extended duration. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature in half a century.
Enduring Chill in the Deep Minus Forties
Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
The deep freeze spread farther south during the holiday season. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius.
December 26th was anticipated to usher in minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C through a wide swath, 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 through the start of January. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from peak power usage levels.
The prolonged chill has been caused by 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 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 the hottest December 25th in their history as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring rather than the end of December.
A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.
Heat-Dome Effect Sustains High Temperatures
Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist for the remainder of the week and beyond, with abnormal warmth projected to move through the American Southeast soon.
This heat is being driven by a robust atmospheric ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure over a large portion of North America, which holds warm air close to the ground. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.