🔗 Share this article Prolonged Chill Grips the Great White North as America Sees Most Unseasonably Mild Christmas Ever. Northern Canada has been gripped by a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with temperatures hovering from 20 to 40 degrees below zero for an extended duration. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, marking its chilliest December reading since 1975. Consecutive Nights in the Deep Minus Forties Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured over two straight weeks of nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Whitehorse similarly reported ten separate nights when temperatures dropped below -30C. This Arctic air mass pushed further southward through Christmas week. Christmas night saw Edmonton's temperatures plummet below minus 28C. Boxing Day was expected to bring readings no higher than -20 Celsius across many regions, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec. Forecast to Persist Through Early January The frigid conditions are predicted to linger through the start of January. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon over the next several days, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from record-high energy demand. The prolonged chill has been caused by the polar vortex remaining anchored above Canadian territory through December, 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. Stark Contrast Compared to Stateside Temperatures Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw their warmest Christmas Day on record as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May instead of the heart of winter. A number of states broke historical records for December 25th warmth. 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 were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C. Atmospheric Ridge Fuels Warmth Above-average warmth is expected to continue on December 26th and into the weekend, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread through the American Southeast soon. The warmth has been fuelled by a robust atmospheric ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, trapping warm air near the surface. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.