An Arctic air mass brought extremely cold temperatures to Alberta, Canada over the past couple of days, breaking many daily minimum temperature records on December 20 and December 21.

On December 20, most of these records were broken during the morning hours, however, a few of these records were broken late in the evening:

Banff Area
New record of -41.5 °C (-42.7 °F)
Old record of -40.6 °C (-41.08 °F) set in 1921
Records in this area have been kept since 1887

Beaverlodge Area
New record of -39.3 °C (-38.7 °F)
Old record of -39.0 °C (-38.2 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1912

Bow Island Area
New record of -34.4 °C (-29.9 °F)
Old record of -34.2 °C (-29.6 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1961

Bow Valley (Provincial Park) Area
New record of -42.8 °C (-45.04 °F)
Old record of -34.4 °C (-29.9 °F) set in 1998
Records in this area have been kept since 1928

Breton Area
New record of -39.6 °C (-39.3 °F)
Old record of -37.0 °C (-34.6 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1939

Cardston Area
New record of -35.8 °C (-32.4 °F)
Old record of -35.1 °C (-31.2 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1918

Drumheller Area
New record of -39.6 °C (-39.3 °F)
Old record of -36.0 °C (-32.8 °F) set in 1989
Records in this area have been kept since 1923

Elk Island (National Park) Area
New record of -40.4 °C (-40.7 °F)
Old record of -37.0 °C (-34.6 °F) set in 1989
Records in this area have been kept since 1966

Hendrickson Creek Area
New record of -48.2 °C (-54.8 °F)
Old record of -39.3 °C (-38.7 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1995

High River Area
New record of -35.1 °C (-31.2 °F)
Old record of -33.9 °C (-29 °F) set in 1921
Records in this area have been kept since 1913

Highvale Area
New record of -36.6 °C (-33.9 °F)
Old record of -31.4 °C (-24.5 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1977

Jasper Area
New record of -43.2 °C (-45.7 °F)
Old record of -39.5 °C (-39.1 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1916

Lacombe Area
New record of -38.6 °C (-37.5 °F)
Old record of -38.5 °C (-37.3 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1907

Milk River Area
New record of -33.1 °C (-27.6 °F)
Old record of -32.8 °C (-27 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1994

Onefour Area
New record of -34.3 °C (-29.7 °F)
Old record of -33.3 °C (-27.9 °F) set in 1951
Records in this area have been kept since 1928

Peace River Area
New record of -42.2 °C (-43.9 °F)
Old record of -40.0 °C (-40 °F) set in 1970
Records in this area have been kept since 1907

Red Deer Area
New record of -38.7 °C (-37.7 °F)
Old record of -36.8 °C (-34.2 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1904

Rocky Mountain House Area
New record of -41.8 °C (-43.2 °F)
Old record of -41.1 °C (42 °F) set in 1921
Records in this area have been kept since 1915

Stavely Area
New record of -34.2 °C (-29.6 °F)
Old record of -33.3 °C (-27.9 °F) set in 1964
Records in this area have been kept since 1914

Sundre Area
New record of -43.0 °C (-45.4 °F)
Old record of -39.0 °C (-38.2 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1993

Three Hills Area
New record of -37.1 °C (-34.8 °F)
Old record of -36.1 °C (-33 °F) set in 1921
Records in this area have been kept since 1921

The following areas will have set a daily minimum temperature record on the morning of December 21, 2022:

Elk Island (National Park) Area
Preliminary new record of -40.1 °C (-40.2 °F)
Old record of -40.0 °C (-40 °F) set in 1989
Records in this area have been kept since 1966

Bow Island Area
Preliminary new record of -38.3 °C (-36.9 °F)
Old record of -34.0 °C (-29.2 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1961

Pincher Creek Area
Preliminary new record of -39.2 °C (-38.6 °F)
Old record of -37.1 °C (-34.8 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1893

Beaverlodge Area
Preliminary new record of -41.2 °C (-42.2 °F)
Old record of -38.0 °C (-36.4 °F) set in 1989
Records in this area have been kept since 1912

Peace River Area
Preliminary new record of -44.9 °C (-48.8 °F)
Old record of -37.8 °C (-36 °F) set in 1933
Records in this area have been kept since 1907

Waterton Park Area
Preliminary new record of -42.4 °C (-44.3 °F)
Old record of -40.0 °C (-40 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1976

Highvale Area
Preliminary new record of -35.4 °C (-31.7 °F)
Old record of -32.3 °C (-26.1 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1977

Jasper Area
Preliminary new record of -41.1 °C (-42 °F)
Old record of -39.0 °C (-38.2 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1916

Kananaskis (Nakiska Ridgetop) Area
Preliminary new record of -35.2 °C (-31.4 °F)
Old record of -34.3 °C (-29.7 °F) set in 1996
Records in this area have been kept since 1994

Breton Area
Preliminary new record of -38.1 °C (-36.6 °F)
Old record of -36.0 °C (-32.8 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1939

Hendrickson Creek Area
Preliminary new record of -46.5 °C (-51.7 °F)
Old record of -40.3 °C (-40.5 °F) set in 2008
Records in this area have been kept since 1995

High River Area
Preliminary new record of -37.5 °C (-35.5 °F)
Old record of -34.0 °C (-29.2 °F) set in 1990
Records in this area have been kept since 1913

Bow Valley (Provincial Park) Area
Preliminary new record of -39.7 °C (-39.5 °F)
Old record of -36.0 °C (-32.8 °F) set in 1989
Records in this area have been kept since 1928

The temperature records reported here have been derived from a selection of historical stations in each geographic area that were active during the period of record.

Please note that this summary may contain preliminary or unofficial information and does not constitute a complete or final report.

Arctic air mass enters the United States

This blast of extremely cold Arctic air is now well into the United States and is forecast to spread to much of the country over the next couple of days.

“A major and anomalous storm system is forecast to produce a multitude of weather hazards through early this weekend, as heavy snowfall, strong winds, and dangerously cold temperatures span from the northern Great Basin through the Plains, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and the northern/central Appalachians,” NWS forecaster Snell noted on December 22.

At the forefront of the impressive weather pattern is a dangerous and record-breaking cold air mass in the wake of a strong Arctic cold front diving southward across the southern Plains today, December 22 and eastward into the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys by tonight.²

Read more:

Major and anomalous storm system to produce widespread disruptive and potentially crippling impacts across the central and eastern U.S.

Blizzard, winter storm warnings issued in Ontario ahead of holiday weekend

A large and historic storm will rapidly intensify as it tracks through the Great Lakes region late Thursday through Friday, The Weather Network meteorologists warn.³

This will severely impact pre-Christmas travel with closures, cancellations and power outages all on the table.

References:

¹ Weather summary for Alberta – Environment Canada – 12:03 p.m. MST on December 21, 2022

² Major and anomalous storm system to produce widespread disruptive and potentially crippling impacts across the central and eastern U.S. – The Watchers – December 22, 2022

³ Blizzard, winter storm warnings issued in Ontario ahead of holiday weekend – The Weather Network – December 22, 2022

Featured image credit: GFS, Tropical Tidbits (December 20, 2022)

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