đź”— Share this article Arctic Blast Envelops the Great White North as America Sees Most Unseasonably Mild Christmas in History. An intense cold spell has seized a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering 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, its coldest December temperature in nearly five decades. Consecutive Nights of Extreme Cold Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C earlier this week. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw a series of ten nights when the cold dipped under -30 Celsius. This Arctic air mass pushed further southward through Christmas week. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius. December 26th was anticipated to usher in readings no higher than -20 Celsius in numerous areas, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east. Expected to Continue Through Early January The severe cold is forecast to persist into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages 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. 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. Pronounced Disparity Compared to Stateside Temperatures In stark contrast, parts of the US experienced their warmest Christmas Day on record as readings skyrocketed 15 to 30 degrees Celsius above normal. In many areas, conditions felt more typical of April or May than late December. Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C. High-Pressure System Fuels Warmth Above-average warmth is expected to continue through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with abnormal warmth projected to move across the southeastern US in the coming days. This heat is being driven by a strong upper-level ridge extending from the desert south-west towards the north and east, establishing a classic heat-dome pattern. This pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure across much of the continent, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Descending air compresses and adiabatically warms, allowing unusually warm temperatures to build.