As the National Weather Service explains, the polar vortex is an area of low pressure and cold air that exists over both of Earth’s poles 10 to 30 miles above the surface. The term vortex is used to ...

Conversely, when the polar vortex weakens, the jet stream can become more wavy and less stable, allowing cold polar air to spill southward into lower latitudes, leading to more unpredictable and ...

A weaker jet stream becomes wavy and unstable, like a loose rope in the wind. This instability allows cold Arctic air from the polar vortex to spill southward into regions that usually enjoy ...

A polar vortex collapse. Now ... When the vortex weakens—which it does on occasion—the jet stream becomes wavy, bulging south and allowing Arctic air to flow down across North America and ...

And while the weather will remain relatively warm for the next week, a polar vortex collapse expected over the next two weeks may bring cold temperatures and even snow to Columbus. Here is what ...

South of the Arctic’s polar vortex is the jet stream, a river of west to east air that flows five to nine miles above ground, and helps keep the pole’s cold air confined to the Arctic. When the vortex ...

This results in more stable and consistent weather patterns. Conversely, when the polar vortex weakens, the jet stream can become more wavy and less stable, allowing cold polar air to spill southward ...