Deep Freeze Tightens Hold on the Great White North as United States Experiences Warmest Christmas Ever.

A prolonged deep freeze has enveloped a severe and lengthy Arctic outbreak, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for multiple weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day in nearly five decades.

Prolonged Freeze in the Deep Minus Forties

In addition, the locales of Mayo and Dawson suffered through 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with the temperature in Mayo bottoming out at -50.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Whitehorse similarly reported a series of ten nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower.

The deep freeze spread farther south 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 in numerous areas, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.

Likely to Linger For Days to Come

The frigid conditions are predicted to linger into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as the system endures record-high pressure from peak power usage levels.

This extended freeze is the result of the polar vortex remaining anchored over Canada for much of December, which funnels frigid northern air southward. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over America and reach into portions of southern Canada.

Dramatic Difference Compared to Stateside Temperatures

In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced their warmest Christmas Day on record as temperatures soared about 15-30C above the seasonal average. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring than late December.

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 similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark.

Atmospheric Ridge Sustains High Temperatures

Above-average warmth is expected to continue on December 26th and into the weekend, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep through the American Southeast soon.

The warmth has been fuelled by a powerful high-altitude ridge stretching from the southwestern deserts northward and eastward, which generates a heat-dome phenomenon. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, which holds warm air close to the ground. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.