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An intense cold spell has seized a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for multiple weeks. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day since 1975.

Consecutive Nights of Extreme Cold

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

The bitter chill extended its reach south during the holiday season. 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, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Forecast to Persist For Days to Come

The severe cold is forecast to persist for the foreseeable future. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages over the next several days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from record-high energy demand.

This extended freeze is the result of 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 United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.

Stark Contrast Compared to Stateside Temperatures

Conversely, sections of America recorded historically high temperatures for Christmas as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May rather than the end of December.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, 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.

High-Pressure System Fuels Warmth

Above-average warmth is expected to continue on December 26th and into the weekend, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep through the American Southeast soon.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a strong upper-level ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure over a large portion of North America, trapping warm air near the surface. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.