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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with readings persisting from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for multiple weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, marking its chilliest December reading in half a century.

Enduring Chill of Extreme Cold

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through over two straight weeks of 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 10 nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

This Arctic air mass pushed further southward over the festive period. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

Boxing Day was expected to bring lows of at least -20C in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Likely to Linger Through Early January

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger for the foreseeable future. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from record-high energy demand.

The prolonged chill has been caused by the Arctic vortex settling above Canadian territory through 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.

Dramatic Difference to American Heat

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw historically high temperatures for Christmas as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring than late December.

Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, topping the prior high mark of 22 degrees established over forty years ago. Cities including Austin and Dallas, in Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina also logged readings above 25 degrees Celsius.

Heat-Dome Effect Drives the Heat

Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist for the remainder of the week and beyond, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread into the south-eastern states later in the week.

This heat is being driven by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. Such a configuration results in a widespread high-pressure system over a large portion of North America, trapping warm air near the surface. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.