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The “polar vortex” looks cool. It’s like “Bomb Cyclone” or “Firenado”. It appears to be the kind of phenomenon that will be responsible for the record blast in cold, snowy and wintry conditions that arrived on the Gulf Coast this week. The polar vortex is a real thing, but the extreme cold that has rocked warmer parts of the country may not be to blame.
Unusual winter storms and cold temperatures have hit a large area of the United States from Texas to Florida. Snowfall and cold led to flight cancellations and closures of schools, businesses and roads. The National Weather Service issued its first ever report Blizzard warning For some areas around Lake Charles, Louisiana on January 21. parts of Houston reportedly received snowfall From up to 6 inches.
NOAA’s satellite captured the historic winter storm in the southern United States on January 21.
NWS Mobile Office Post, Alabama Official snowfall measurement The 5.4 inches on Tuesday afternoon broke the single-day record of 5 inches set in 1881. Snow was still falling and reached 7.5 inches for the day. the Description of the NWS Social Media Team This sum is known as “Crazy”. Nearby Pensacola, Florida saw similar snowfall. Naturally, we look north to the cold Arctic for answers as to why the Gulf Coast is down to a polar bear in such icy weather.
What is a polar vortex?
The polar vortex can ride with the jet stream and push cold air into the United States under certain conditions.
As the name suggests, the polar vortex is associated with our planet’s north and south poles. It is an area of lower pressure and cooler air in each column.
“Weather forecasters examine the polar vortex by looking at conditions when it reaches dozens of feet into the atmosphere; however, when we feel extremely cold air from regions in the Arctic on Earth’s surface, it is sometimes associated with the polar vortex,” NWS said In explanation.
The polar vortex can be connected to bouts of extreme cold in the United States, but the conditions must be right. The polar vortex can expand and be pushed southward with the jet stream — a narrow stream of air flowing through the atmosphere from west to east. It is worth noting, A A polar vortex hit the United States in 2019launching a vehicle from Star Wars Hoth makes jokes about the cold.
Does the polar vortex cause cold?
The Arctic blast that sent Gulf Coast populations soaring this week wasn’t an example of the polar vortex going on the attack.
Amy Butler and Laura Ciasto with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration run a polar vortex blog at NOAA’s Climate.gov website. Scientists Checking out the polar vortex last week Before the Arctic explosion. At that time, Butler and Sisto spotted some possible extension of the polar vortex. But there was another factor at play.
“In addition, a powerful ridge of high pressure built simultaneously near Alaska, which could also help force the jet stream to dive southward over the continental United States and bring cold Arctic air with it, regardless of the polar vortex,” Butler said. And Ciasto wrote.
A Noooooana video Show what the hills look like:
The cold arctic air that hung over Alaska took a dive south.
“I think degassing from Alaska plays a bigger role in the cold air outbreak,” Ciasto told CNET. “The stratospheric polar vortex is not as extended as it was last week, so the connection we noted in our last post is less important now.”
While the Gulf Coast caught the cold, Alaska saw an area of high pressure and milder temperatures, according to Erica Cruz CEI, NWS public affairs specialist and meteorologist.
“This in turn displaces the Arctic air that normally sits over our northern state at this time of year, and the Arctic air moves downstream — southeast — toward the continental United States,” Crow Cei said.
The polar vortex can be a powerful source of winter weather, but it’s not the only cause of extreme cold and snow in regions known for warmth and sunshine. Gulf Coast states are still coming out of the snow, but at least the temperatures are warmer this weekend.
