Polar vortex is not a synonym for “cold snap,” according to the Polar Vortex Blog at Climate.gov, and it’s not the only weather pattern to blame for blasts of cold air.

When “polar vortex” appears in the news, it can refer to one of two different, but related, weather patterns. ... think central Mexico to northern Canada—and moving west to east.

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.

What is a polar vortex collapse and why does it affect weather so dramatically? ... the Gulf of Mexico, and the East Coast. Baker, Mont., saw a low of -22°F, its coldest day since 2009.

The polar vortex has taken on an unexpected pattern this winter - one that’s made part of the United States the most unusually cold place on the planet, at least so far this year.

The polar vortex is to blame. The United States has been at the epicenter of the planet’s most unusually cold conditions early in 2025. Accessibility statement Skip to main content ...

“The polar vortex exists all year, but it’s winter when it gets stronger and larger. The lack of daylight during the winter months helps to build the pool of extremely cold air that makes up ...

“The polar vortex is a core of extremely cold air that typically remains near the poles,” explains Spectrum News NY 1’s Chief Meteorologist John Davitt.. “During the winter, shifts in the ...

The polar vortex is coming back. After a half-month hiatus, frigid air will again surge across the United States beginning this weekend through next week, as the unusually cold blob of air dips ...

Extreme Weather The polar vortex will soon hit the U.S. See how cold it’ll get where you live. This will spell dangerously cold temperatures — as cold as minus-20 to minus-30 in some states ...

“The polar vortex is a core of extremely cold air that typically remains near the poles,” explains Spectrum News NY 1’s Chief Meteorologist John Davitt.. “During the winter, shifts in the ...