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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for multiple weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, representing its most frigid December day in nearly five decades.

Consecutive Nights in the Deep Minus Forties

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through over two straight weeks of nights below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C earlier this week. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw ten separate nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.

The deep freeze spread farther south during the holiday season. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

Boxing Day was expected to bring lows of at least -20C through a wide swath, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.

Forecast to Persist into the New Year

This harsh winter weather is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon over the next several days, as the system endures record-high pressure from record-high energy demand.

This extended freeze is the result of 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.

Dramatic Difference Compared to Stateside Temperatures

Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw the hottest December 25th in their history as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May than late December.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma City hit 25C on Tuesday, 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.

Heat-Dome Effect Drives the Heat

Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast to last for the remainder of the week and beyond, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread through the American Southeast soon.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a robust atmospheric ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, 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. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.