The term “polar vortex” generally points to the immense circular upper air weather pattern located in the Arctic domain. This pattern is typically at its peak strength during the winter months, assisting in confining some of the coldest air in proximity to the North Pole. However, on certain occasions, segments of the vortex may detach or shift southward, ushering in abnormally cold conditions to the southern regions and allowing warmer air masses to infiltrate northern territories. Presently, portions of the U.S. are encountering the 10th and most frigid polar vortex occurrence of the season. Atmospheric conditions in the Arctic have merged to propel the frigid air towards the United States and Europe.
Following unprecedented snowfall in New Orleans last month, alongside drought and devastating wildfires in Southern California, this winter season has been anything but typical. The imminent cold front is anticipated to introduce bone-chilling temperatures to the Northern and Central Plains for a number of days, commencing on Sunday. Wind chills plummeted to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 51 degrees Celsius) in sections of North Dakota on Monday, and to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 46 degrees Celsius) in portions of Montana. Further decreases in wind chills were projected for Tuesday morning.
The National Weather Service issued a warning on Monday, cautioning that “frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. An extended period of freezing temperatures could cause ruptured water pipes.” Meteorologists anticipate that the intense winds will exacerbate the cold conditions. As per the National Weather Service’s forecast, nearly every U.S. state, with the exceptions of Hawaii, California, and Florida, is poised to witness sub-20-degree wind chills at some point during the upcoming week.
Some experts suggest that disruptions to polar vortexes are becoming more frequent due to a warming global climate. As the Arctic experiences heightened temperatures, it imparts greater energy to atmospheric waves that can influence weather patterns, making it more probable for these waves to disrupt the vortex and usher colder air southward towards lower latitudes. Despite the atypical cold spell gripping the U.S. this winter, the planet is still entrenched in an overarching warming trend. In January, the Earth’s average global temperature once again set a monthly heat record. This marked the 18th month out of the last 19 in which the world surpassed or met the internationally agreed-upon warming threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.
