Prolonged Chill Grips the Great White North as US Records Hottest Christmas in History.
An intense cold spell has seized a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering between -20C and -40C for weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975.
Enduring Chill of Extreme Cold
Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.
This Arctic air mass pushed further southward during the holiday season. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius.
Boxing Day was expected to bring lows of at least -20C across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec.
Expected to Continue into the New Year
This harsh winter weather is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. There are warnings of possible electrical grid strain in Yukon territory soon, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from record-high energy demand.
The lengthy cold snap originates from the polar vortex remaining anchored above Canadian territory through December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. In the coming week, forecasts indicate this cold air will pull back northward allowing more temperate air from the Pacific to sweep across the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions.
Pronounced Disparity with US Warmth
In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced the hottest December 25th in their history as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring rather than the end of December.
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. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.
Heat-Dome Effect Drives the Heat
Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist on December 26th and into the weekend, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep into the south-eastern states later in the week.
This heat is being driven by a powerful high-altitude ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, 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.
