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Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with temperatures hovering 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, marking its chilliest December reading in half a century.

Prolonged Freeze in the Deep Minus Forties

Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced over two straight weeks of nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius earlier this week. Whitehorse similarly reported a series of ten nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius.

The deep freeze spread farther south over the festive period. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C.

December 26th was anticipated to usher in lows of at least -20C in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Forecast to Persist Through Early January

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 its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from peak power usage levels.

This extended freeze is the result of a stationary polar vortex above Canadian territory through December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Pronounced Disparity with US Warmth

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced the hottest December 25th in their history as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May instead of the heart of winter.

Multiple states established new Christmas temperature highs. 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 Drives the Heat

Above-average warmth is expected to continue for the remainder of the week and beyond, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep across the southeastern US in the coming days.

The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a strong upper-level ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure across much of the continent, which holds warm air close to the ground. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.