Did the polar vortex cause the US Arctic blast that brought snow to Florida?

The “polar vortex” sounds great. It’s like a “bomb tornado” or “gunfire.” It appears to be the kind of phenomenon that will be responsible for the record blast of cold, snow and winter’s cold that arrived on the Gulf Coast this week. The polar vortex is real, but it may not be responsible for the extreme cold that has rocked usually warmer parts of the country.

Unusual winter storms and extremely cold temperatures have hit a large area of ​​the United States from Texas to Florida. Snowfall and cold led to the cancellation of flights and the closure of schools, businesses and roads. The National Weather Service issued its first-ever report Snow storm warning For some areas around Lake Charles, Louisiana on January 21. parts of Houston reportedly received snowfall Up to 6 inches.

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Posted by NWS Mobile Office, Alabama The official measurement of snowfall Snow reached 5.4 inches Tuesday afternoon, breaking the single-day record of 5 inches set in 1881. It was still snowing and reached 7.5 inches during the day. the Description of the NWS Social Media Team This total is “crazy.” The nearby city of Pensacola, Florida, saw similar snowfall. Naturally, we look north to the frigid Arctic for answers as to why the Gulf Coast polar bear was plunged into such icy weather.

What is a polar vortex?

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As its name suggests, the polar vortex is linked to the north and south poles of our planet. It is an area of ​​low pressure and cold air at each pole.

“Weather forecasters examine the polar vortex by looking at conditions tens of thousands of feet 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.” NWS said In the explanation.

The polar vortex could be linked to bouts of extreme cold in the United States, but conditions must be right. The polar vortex can expand and push southward with the jet stream, a narrow stream of air flowing high in the atmosphere from west to east. It is worth noting that A The polar vortex hit the United States in 2019unleashing a barrage of Star Wars Hoth jokes about the cold.

Is the polar vortex the cause of the cold?

The Arctic blast that sent Gulf Coast residents shuddering this week wasn’t necessarily an example of the polar vortex on the attack.

Amy Butler and Laura Siasto of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration run a polar vortex blog on NOAA’s Climate.gov website. Scientists Checking out the polar vortex last week Before the Arctic explosion. At that time, Butler and Siasto detected some possible expansion of the polar vortex. But there was another factor at play.

“In addition, there is a powerful ridge of high pressure simultaneously building up 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, independent of the polar vortex.” “Siasto wrote.

A NOAA video Show what the hills look like:

The cold Arctic air hanging over Alaska pushed south.

“I think the ridges over Alaska play a bigger role in the cold air outbreak,” Siasto 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 now less significant.”

While the Gulf Coast was hit by the cold, Alaska saw an area of ​​high pressure and milder temperatures, according to Erica Growsee, a public affairs and meteorologist with the NWS.

“This in turn displaces the Arctic air that normally lies over our northernmost state at this time of year, and the Arctic air moves downstream — toward the southeast — toward the continental United States,” Grow See told CNET.

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 digging into snow drifts, but at least warmer temperatures are on the cards heading into the weekend.