The Polar Vortex: Background And Forecasting – Analysis

By Eva Lipiec

In recent years, broadcast meteorologists and the media have begun using the term polar vortex to describe some instances of unseasonable temperatures and storms across the United States during the winter months. The polar vortex is a regular seasonal occurrence, and disruptions to it can cause both milder- and colder-than-average temperatures across North America.

For example, in February 2021, the South-Central United States experienced an influx of record-breaking...