Polar vortex collapse forecast threatens dangerous cold in February across US
A major disruption in the Arctic’s polar vortex is poised to unleash a prolonged period of severe winter weather across parts of North America and Europe in the coming weeks, forecasters warn.
The polar vortex, a region of low-pressure cold air over the Arctic Circle, is expected to completely collapse due to the effects of the dramatic “Sudden Stratospheric Warming” event that occurred in early February.
Sudden stratospheric warming occurs when the temperature in the stratosphere is significantly high.
In the United States, over 177 million people from the Northeast to the Mid-Atlantic have been impacted due to this pattern.
The disruption in the structure of the vortex permits the jet stream to become wavier, dipping farther south, which tends to carry cold air masses from the Arctic region into populated areas, increasing the threat of heavy snow, ice, and cold spells.
Experts are warning similar predictions for European regions, including the UK, stating that the collapse could lead to a “prolonged release of cold air” across the continent in February.
This will potentially cause widespread frost, snow, and a sustained period of below-average temperatures.
The exact timings and level of severity remain uncertain for now as ground-level weather details rely on complex atmospheric interactions.
