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The polar vortex is coming—and raising the odds for intense winter weather
In the stratosphere over Siberia, temperatures recently jumped nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit, shoving the polar vortex off its North Pole perch.
Every year, weather enthusiasts eagerly watch and wait for signs that the polar vortex, a mass of cold air spinning around the Arctic, might meander south, sending cold and snow into the lower latitudes.
Their wait might soon be over—and if you’re not a meteorologist, you may be surprised to learn that it’s because of a recent spike in Arctic temperatures.
Specifically, temperatures high in the stratosphere above Siberia. In the first week of January, they increased from about minus 92 degrees Fahrenheit to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. While these “sudden stratospheric warming” events happen to some extent every year, this one is categorized as a major event and is less common.
The mass of extremely warm air threw the freezing polar vortex
