For the record, some people in Mayo hotly contest Snag s claim to fame, saying that Mayo had a lower temperature on that same day. But Mayo never had a chance to confirm this reading because the weather office there burned down a few days later. With a difference of 98.3 degrees Celsius between the extreme high and low temperatures, Mayo holds the Canadian record for the greatest range of absolute temperatures. For the Yukon as a whole, the difference between the average temperature of the warmest and coldest months is usually around 40 degrees Celsius. Overall our winters are mild compared to those in the eastern Arctic.
Mountains play a bigger role in influencing the weather here than any other single factor.
The Coast Mountains block warm, moist Pacific air from moving into the territory. Cold, dry Arctic air then dominates, pooling in the valley floors where most communities are located. Herb Wahl, a retired meteorologist who has written a book on the Yukon s climate, has a suggestion for people who want a break from the winter cold. Follow the lead of animals like moose and sheep and climb a ridge. In most mountainous areas, temperatures drop as you go up in elevation.