Arctic Blast Envelops the Great White North as America Sees Hottest Christmas Ever.
A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with readings persisting in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for 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 in the Deep Minus Forties
In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through sixteen nights in a row dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C earlier this week. Whitehorse also recorded 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
This Arctic air mass pushed further southward during the holiday season. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C.
The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.
Forecast to Persist Through Early January
The severe cold is forecast to persist into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from historically high electricity consumption.
The lengthy cold snap originates from the polar vortex remaining anchored over Canada for much of December, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.
Stark Contrast Compared to Stateside Temperatures
Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw their warmest Christmas Day on record as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. 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, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.
Heat-Dome Effect Fuels Warmth
Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist on December 26th and into the weekend, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread into the south-eastern states later in the week.
The warmth has been fuelled by a strong upper-level ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, 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. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.
