A major disturbance in the Arctic’s polar vortex is poised to trigger an extended period of severe winter weather across parts of North America and Europe in the coming weeks, forecasters warn.
The polar vortex, an area of cold low-pressure air above the Arctic Circle, is expected to collapse completely due to the effects of the dramatic “Sudden Stratospheric Warming” that occurred in early February.
Sudden stratospheric warming occurs when the temperature in the stratosphere is significantly high.
In the United States, over 177 million people from the Northeast to the Mid-Atlantic have been affected due to this pattern.
The disruption in the eddy structure allows the jet stream to become more wavy and dip further south, which tends to transport cold air masses from the Arctic region into populated areas, increasing the threat of heavy snow, ice and cold.
Experts warn of similar predictions for European regions, including Britain, and say the collapse could lead to a “prolonged release of cold air” across the continent in February.
This will potentially cause widespread frost, snow and a sustained period of below average temperatures.
The exact timings and severity remain uncertain for now, as ground-level weather details depend on complex atmospheric interactions.
