Is the polar vortex to blame for this recent cold air outbreak? We don’t think so. This seems like a case of the polar vortex getting blamed for being a trouble maker, when it was actually minding its own business.
Measuring and Modeling Climate
Instrumental measurements, proxy data, climate model projections
What are the odds of a stratospheric polar vortex disruption this winter? We take a look at two things that help predict our chances for this extreme event.
As polar vortex season winds down, so does Season 1 of the Polar Vortex Blog. In our final post of the season, we discuss whether the season is ending on a cliffhanger or just tying up loose ends.
When we get to spring, the polar vortex's days are numbered. When will the "final stratospheric warming" occur this year?
After a brief respite, the stratospheric polar vortex is expected to weaken again, and another major sudden stratospheric warming could be on the way.
A major disruption of the stratospheric polar vortex occurred. What happens next? The stratosphere will try to communicate its artistic vision down to the troposphere, but the troposphere may have its own masterpiece in mind.
In a record going back to 1850, Earth hasn't had a year colder than the 20th-century average since 1976—almost half a century.
The latest forecast says a major disruption of the polar vortex is on its way, but the stratosphere has been acting up for a while. Our bloggers explain what it might mean for U.S. weather.
Was the late November Great Lakes snowstorm a harbinger for December?
Drought improvement likely across the Southeast, Gulf Coast, and Texas amid ongoing El Niño.