{"id":1349,"date":"2019-02-05T17:35:24","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T17:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iccinet.org\/iccinetweb\/?p=1349"},"modified":"2019-02-05T17:37:55","modified_gmt":"2019-02-05T17:37:55","slug":"how-the-polar-vortex-works-and-why-record-cold-is-yes-part-of-global-warming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iccinet.org\/sv\/how-the-polar-vortex-works-and-why-record-cold-is-yes-part-of-global-warming\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Polar Vortex Works (and Why Record Cold is Yes, Part of Global Warming)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note: \nICCI often gets questions about the unusually cold weather that\noccasionally has begun to hit sub-Arctic Europe and North America.  Below in brief is an explanation and\ndirection to other resources and articles:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The so-called \u201cpolar vortex\u201d is a regular\nupper-atmosphere phenomenon that normally, stays centered over the North\nPole.  It comprises very high-level winds\n(even above the jet stream) that normally keep Arctic cold (temperatures well\nbelow -25C\/0 F) locked well inside the Arctic circle, especially during the\nwinter night.  Occasionally however,\nthese winds break down, \u201csplitting\u201d the vortex and allowing portions to spin\ninto lower latitudes, bringing this severe cold with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is what occurred both in mid-January, and\nat the end of January 2019.  Often these\naffect only one section of the northern hemisphere, but these two events\nimpacted both Europe and North America with vortex \u201csplits.\u201d  Researcher Zac Lawrence tweeted a great\nanimation of the mid-January event:<\/p>\n\n\n

Here is my “official” 3D animation of this year’s stratospheric #PolarVortex<\/a> split. Another beautiful event! pic.twitter.com\/ml59N1cDoh<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Zac Lawrence (@zd1awrence) January 14, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n