🔗 Share this article Deep Freeze Tightens Hold on the Great White North as United States Experiences Hottest Christmas Ever. Northern Canada has been gripped by a bitter and extended period of frigid weather, with thermometers lingering in the minus 20 to minus 40 Celsius range for weeks. A reading of -55.7 Celsius was logged in Braeburn, Yukon, on Tuesday, its coldest December temperature since 1975. Consecutive Nights Below -40C Similarly, the communities of Mayo and Dawson experienced over two straight weeks of nights dipping under the minus 40 Celsius threshold, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse similarly reported 10 nights when temperatures dropped below -30C. The bitter chill extended its reach south during the holiday season. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C. The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver lows of at least -20C in numerous areas, encompassing cities from Edmonton to Quebec. Likely to Linger into the New Year The severe cold is forecast to persist into the new year. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon soon, as its energy infrastructure faces unprecedented demand from peak power usage levels. The lengthy cold snap originates from the Arctic vortex settling across the northern part of the continent this month, which funnels frigid northern air southward. In the coming week, forecasts indicate this cold air will pull back northward slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the US and into parts of southern Canada. Dramatic Difference with US Warmth Conversely, sections of America recorded the hottest December 25th in their history as the mercury climbed roughly 15 to 30 degrees above typical averages. Across wide regions, the atmosphere was more akin to late spring rather than the end of December. Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reached 25 degrees Celsius on Christmas, exceeding the old record of 22C from 1982. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina were also among those that recorded temperatures above 25C. High-Pressure System Sustains High Temperatures Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with atypical high temperatures expected to spread across the southeastern US in the coming days. 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 pattern establishes a broad area of high pressure blanketing a significant part of the landmass, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, enabling abnormally high temperatures to develop.