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A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with temperatures hovering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for multiple 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 below -40C, 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 bitter chill extended its reach south through Christmas week. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C.

December 26th was anticipated to usher in lows of at least -20C through a wide swath, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Expected to Continue Through Early January

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger through the start of January. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as the system endures record-high pressure from historically high electricity consumption.

This extended freeze is the result of the polar vortex remaining anchored 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.

Dramatic Difference with US Warmth

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw the hottest December 25th in their history as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May than late December.

A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.

Atmospheric Ridge Fuels Warmth

Above-average warmth is expected to continue 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 powerful high-altitude ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, 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.