“Polar vortex” sounds cool. It's like “bomb cyclone” or “firenado”. It looks like the kind of phenomenon that would be responsible for the record-breaking blast of cold, snow and wintry conditions that hit the Gulf Coast this week. The polar vortex is a real thing, but it may not be to blame for the extreme cold that has rocked normally warmer regions of the country.
Unusual winter storms and freezing temperatures hit a large region of the United States from Texas to Florida. The snow and cold have caused flight cancellations and school, business and road closures. The National Weather Service has issued its first weather forecast blizzard warning for some areas around Lake Charles, Louisiana on January 21. Parts of There was supposed to be snow in Houston up to 6 inches.
NOAA's Goes-East satellite captured a view of the historic winter storm in the southern United States on January 21.
The Mobile, Alabama NWS office announced official snowfall measurement of 5.4 inches on Tuesday afternoon, breaking the one-day record of 5 inches set in 1881. The snow was still falling and totaled 7.5 inches for the day. On The NWS social media team described he total as “crazy”. Nearby Pensacola, Florida saw similar snowfall. It's only natural to look north to the frigid Arctic for answers as to why the Gulf Coast is inundated with polar bears in such icy weather.
What is the polar vortex?
The polar vortex can ride with the jet stream and push cold air into the US under certain conditions.
As the name suggests, the polar vortex is associated with the north and south poles of our planet. It is an area of lower pressure and cold air at each pole.
“Opticians examine the polar vortex by looking at conditions tens of thousands of meters up in the atmosphere; however, when we feel extremely cold air from arctic regions on Earth's surface, it is sometimes associated with the polar vortex. the NWS said in an explainer.
The polar vortex can be associated with bouts of extreme cold in the US, but the conditions must be just right. The polar vortex can expand and push southward with the jet stream—a narrow stream of air that flows high in the atmosphere from west to east. Namely, a A polar vortex hit the US in 2019launch volley on star wars hoth jokes about the cold.
Did the polar vortex cause the cold?
The Arctic blast that sent shivers down the Gulf Coast this week wasn't necessarily an example of the polar vortex going on strike.
Amy Butler and Laura Chiasto with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration blog about the polar vortex on NOAA's Climate.gov site. The scientists examined the polar vortex last week before the Arctic explosion. At that time, Butler and Chiasto observed some potential stretching of the polar vortex. But there was another factor at play.
“Additionally, a strong ridge of high pressure is simultaneously forming near Alaska, which may also help force the jet stream to plunge southward over the continental United States and bring cold Arctic air with it, independent of the polar vortex.” Butler said and wrote Often.
A NOAA video showed what the ridge looks like:
Cold arctic air over Alaska plunged south.
“I think the flyover over Alaska plays a bigger role in the cold air outbreak,” Chiasto told CNET. “The stratospheric polar vortex is not as stretched as it was last week, so the connection we pointed out in our last post is less relevant now.”
While the Gulf Coast took a cold snap, Alaska experienced an area of high pressure and milder temperatures, according to Erika Grow Tsei, NWS public affairs specialist and meteorologist.
“This in turn moves the arctic air that is normally over our northernmost state at this time of year, and the arctic air moves downstream — southeast — toward the continental United States,” Grow Tsai told CNET.
The polar vortex can be a powerful source of winter weather, but it's not the only cause of bitter cold and snow in regions better known for warmth and sunshine. The Gulf states are still digging out of the snow, but at least warmer temperatures are on the horizon for the weekend.