Prolonged Chill Grips the Great White North as United States Experiences Most Unseasonably Mild Christmas Ever.
A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with thermometers lingering between -20C and -40C for 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
Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced sixteen nights in a row dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C at the start of the week. Whitehorse similarly reported 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 minimum temperatures of at least minus 20C in numerous areas, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east.
Likely to Linger Through Early January
The frigid conditions are predicted to linger for the foreseeable future. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon soon, as the system endures record-high pressure from record-high energy demand.
This extended freeze is the result of a stationary polar vortex across the northern part of the continent this month, enabling a surge of icy Arctic winds to descend. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north gradually, enabling milder Pacific air to move across the US and into parts of southern Canada.
Dramatic Difference with US Warmth
Conversely, sections of America recorded their warmest Christmas Day on record as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. For numerous locations, the weather resembled a spring day in April or May rather than the end of December.
A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, 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
Above-average warmth is expected to continue for the remainder of the week and beyond, with abnormal warmth projected to move across the southeastern US in the coming days.
The warmth has been fuelled by a robust atmospheric ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure over a large portion of North America, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. As air sinks through the atmosphere, it compresses and heats further, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.
