🔗 Share this article Arctic Blast Envelops the Great White North as United States Experiences Warmest Christmas Ever. An intense cold spell has seized an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. This week, the Yukon community of Braeburn saw the mercury drop to -55.7C, representing its most frigid December day since 1975. Prolonged Freeze Below -40C Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights colder than minus 40 degrees, with Mayo experiencing a low of -50.4C on Monday. The capital, Whitehorse, likewise saw 10 nights when readings fell to minus 30 degrees or lower. The bitter chill extended its reach south through Christmas week. In Edmonton, the Christmas overnight low dipped under -28 degrees Celsius. The day after Christmas was forecast to deliver readings no higher than -20 Celsius through a wide swath, from Edmonton in the west to Quebec in the east. Likely to Linger into the New Year The severe cold is forecast to persist through the start of January. Authorities have cautioned about potential power failures in the Yukon over the next several days, as the system endures record-high pressure from historically high electricity consumption. The prolonged chill has been caused by a stationary polar vortex above Canadian territory through December, allowing bitter Arctic air to spill south. The frigid dome is projected to gradually withdraw north slowly, permitting warmer Pacific winds to flow over the United States and penetrate southern Canadian regions. Stark Contrast with US Warmth Meanwhile, in a dramatic contrast, areas of the United States saw historically high temperatures for Christmas 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. Several states set Christmas Day temperature records. The capital of Oklahoma soared to 25C on Christmas Day, surpassing the previous peak of 22C set in 1982. Urban centers like Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte, North Carolina similarly saw thermometers rise past the 25C mark. Heat-Dome Effect Fuels Warmth Unseasonable heat is predicted to persist through Boxing Day and the days ahead, with unseasonable heat forecast to sweep through the American Southeast soon. The unseasonable temperatures are powered by a powerful high-altitude ridge reaching from the arid southwest across the continent, creating a heat-dome effect. This setup creates an extensive zone of high atmospheric pressure over a large portion of North America, effectively capping warm air at lower altitudes. Sinking atmospheric air undergoes compression and additional heating, fostering the buildup of exceptional warmth.