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An intense cold spell has seized an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for an extended duration. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, its coldest December temperature in nearly five decades.

Consecutive Nights Below -40C

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced 16 consecutive nights dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded ten separate nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

The bitter chill extended its reach south during the holiday season. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver lows of at least -20C across many regions, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Expected to Continue into the New Year

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger for the foreseeable future. There are warnings of possible electrical grid strain in Yukon territory soon, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from historically high electricity consumption.

The lengthy cold snap originates from the polar vortex remaining anchored above Canadian territory through December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. Next week, the cold air mass is expected to retreat north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the US and into parts of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity with US Warmth

Conversely, sections of America recorded historically high temperatures for Christmas as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May instead of the heart of winter.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

High-Pressure System Drives the Heat

Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last for the remainder of the week and beyond, with abnormal warmth projected to move into the south-eastern states later in the week.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system blanketing a significant part of the landmass, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.