While parts of the United States basked in unseasonably warm holiday weather, a remote corner of Canada plunged into a deep freeze not witnessed in half a century.
A Historic Chill in the Yukon
On December 23, 2025, a weather station in Braeburn, Yukon, registered a staggering temperature of -55.7 degrees Celsius. This reading marks the lowest December temperature recorded anywhere in Canada since 1975, representing one of the most severe cold snaps in the country's recent history.
To grasp the intensity of this cold, it is nearly as frigid as the average surface temperature on Mars, which sits around -60°C. This extreme demonstrates a level of cold that is utterly foreign to the vast majority of nations across the globe.
The Epicenter of a Prolonged Freeze
Braeburn, primarily known as a roadhouse on the Alaska Highway famous for its giant cinnamon buns, found itself at the heart of a relentless Yukon cold snap. This deep freeze is forecasted to persist into the opening days of 2026.
The surrounding region has been gripped by the cold for weeks. Both Mayo and Dawson City endured a two-week period in December where temperatures consistently remained at or below -40°C. This area of Canada is no stranger to extreme cold; it holds the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in North America. In February 1947, the Yukon community of Snag hit -63°C, creating surreal conditions where breath instantly crystallized and sound carried with unusual clarity.
A Stark Continental Contrast
This Yukon deep freeze occurred simultaneously with record-breaking warmth in other traditionally cold regions. Reykjavík, Iceland, experienced its warmest Christmas Day on record, with temperatures soaring to a summery 19.7°C.
Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli highlighted the dramatic contrast, noting that at the precise moment Braeburn recorded its -55.7°C low, Dallas, Texas, was enjoying a high of 27.2°C—a temperature spread of over 70 degrees across the continent.
Despite Canada's vast size, its zones of extreme heat and cold are relatively close. Braeburn is roughly a day's drive from Lytton, British Columbia, the location that set Canada's all-time high-temperature record of 49.6°C in 2021. This juxtaposition underscores the dramatic and diverse climate realities within the nation.
