In a year without much winter weather, there’s a chance of a bitter blow before spring takes hold. Experts say a disruption of the polar vortex could unleash cold, stormy conditions to the ...

The stratospheric polar vortex is smoother, smaller and more circular. It doesn’t exist year-round — instead it’s a whirlpool of frigid air that forms in the fall as the upper atmosphere cools.

While global temperatures are rising, climate change is paradoxically causing harsher and colder winters in many regions.

In El Niño years, the polar vortex usually stays strong, and it keeps a lot of cold air bottled up. But if it is disrupted, it could allow cold air to move south. Systems can tap into that and ...

The inauguration for President-elect Donald Trump will take place Monday in Washington, D.C., where the forecast shows a high of 24 degrees for Capitol Hill and a low of 8 degrees.

Although the term polar vortex may seem relatively new, it isn’t. Disruptions of the vortex were first written about by German meteorologist Richard Scherhag in 1952 — over 70 years ago.

Lobes of the polar vortex, like octopus tentacles, have frequently lashed the Lower 48 this season. ... In Washington, January 2014 was the coldest in decades by many counts.

On Monday, the polar vortex will reach the Deep South, with temperatures down to the freezing point of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in Atlanta. Wind chills will be in the 20s.

WASHINGTON — We are in the middle of a blast of extreme cold weather in D.C. The polar vortex has shifted, spilling cold air across the U.S. with below freezing temperatures and subzero wind chills.

The term "polar vortex" usually refers to the gigantic circular upper air weather pattern in the Arctic region. It is a normal pattern that is stronger in the winter and keeps some of the coldest ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The polar vortex hit its peak across much of America on Wednesday, with an icy grip that made Arctic Greenland seem like a toasty vacation spot in comparison. Even Mars has ...

In a polar vortex, are you as safe as Washington? Terry Jarrett. Jan. 12, 2025 5:00 am. A person walks near the Washington Monument during a winter snow storm in Washington, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.