The phenomenon that has the US frozen: What is happening with the polar vortex?
Extreme weather is sweeping across the United States. Last week, the polar vortex peaked, bringing freezing temperatures to much of the country.
On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog predicted six more weeks of cold weather, resulting in a longer-than-usual winter in the United States, and so far, it seems to be true. In recent days, extreme weather brought freezing temperatures to several states across the country due to a polar vortex that peaked on Wednesday, February 19.
According to The Associated Press (AP), the vortex brought temperatures even lower than the ones on Mars. On Wednesday, Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, recorded a temperature of 33° F (1° C), placing its thermometer 42° F (6° C) above the temperature in Washington D.C. According to AP, the average minimum temperature in the contiguous States was 13.64° F (-10.2° C) on Thursday, February 20.
While temperatures are expected to rise in the coming days, polar vortex air is predicted to hit the United States again during the first week of March, bringing freezing temperatures to much of the country; but what is the polar vortex?
The phenomenon that has the US frozen: What is happening with the polar vortex?
A polar vortex is a low pressure system that forms in the polar regions. It is formed by a mass of cold air that rotates in a circular direction, acting as a kind of “dome” of very cold air around the poles. Although this phenomenon is present throughout the year, in winter, it intensifies.
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In the Northern Hemisphere, the polar vortex can affect regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, bringing with it extreme cold snaps. If the vortex weakens or breaks up, the air it contains can move to lower latitudes, resulting in a “polar vortex explosion” and, therefore, extreme weather conditions.
According to the AP, this polar vortex will make it take some time for the world to thaw as freezing temperatures continue to hit the region.
*This article was written in Spanish and translated with the help of AI.
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