Prolonged Chill Envelops Canada as America Sees Warmest Christmas Ever.
A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for multiple weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975.
Consecutive Nights in the Deep Minus Forties
In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through sixteen nights in a row below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C earlier this week. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
This Arctic air mass pushed further southward over the festive period. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.
The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.
Forecast to Persist Through Early January
The frigid conditions are predicted to linger into the new year. There are warnings of possible electrical grid strain in Yukon territory in the coming days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from historically high electricity consumption.
The prolonged chill has been caused by the Arctic vortex settling over Canada for much of December, enabling a surge of icy Arctic winds to descend. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over America and reach into portions of southern Canada.
Stark Contrast to American Heat
Conversely, sections of America recorded 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 instead of the heart of winter.
Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C.
High-Pressure System Drives the Heat
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.
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 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, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.
