The polar vortex is fueling a dangerous spread of arctic air as the coldest temperatures remain in the U.S. for weeks

With more than 170 million Americans facing below average temperatures, colder air may also be on the horizon due to the displacement of the polar vortex that will close in on the winter feel and park the coldest air in North America.

In the coming weeks, cold air will continue to affect parts of the US due to the effects of the polar vortex.

What is the polar vortex?

Normally, a strong polar vortex traps cold air around the North and South Poles. When it weakens, it allows cold air to enter the lower latitudes, opening the window for colder air, but the one we’re facing now is different.

In this case, the polar vortex is stretched or elongated rather than significantly weakened. When this happens, the coldest air is not able to consolidate in one area and instead spreads over a large area, causing prolonged cold spells.

Under current conditions, a displaced polar vortex will hold the coldest air over North America and bring a long period of cold to the eastern Lower 48 through late January.

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Looking ahead, forecast guidance suggests that the two lobes of the polar vortex will begin to reunite, strengthening the overall vortex again, acting as a concentrated reservoir of Arctic air.

If the entire core of the polar vortex moves away from the poles and toward Canada, it will create a “direct channel” for cooler temperatures to flow into the US.

The first of this vortex-influenced cold will initially build over Canada late next week before driving into South America as we head into the last week of January.

How cold it will be remains to be seen, but the greatest chance of cold air will be from the northern Rockies, across the northern plains, Great Lakes and Northeast.

So bundle up, the heart of winter is ahead, and it looks like this year, it could be especially cold.

An extended displacement of the polar vortex that could trigger prolonged cold spells for millions of Americans in the Northern Tier comes after a deep winter freeze in the East.

After a quick January thaw in most of the lower 48, winter will roar back with below-average temperatures crashing through the upper Midwest and spreading into Florida this week.

By Thursday, the jet stream will dip south and fall 10 to 20 degrees below average for the entire state except for Miami, which will remain near its seasonal average, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

Friday morning could be the coldest of the week, with freezing temperatures reaching as far south as Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. To provide perspective on the severity of the cold, Tallahassee is forecast to be 26 degrees; Meanwhile, Denver—1,630 miles away and located at an elevation of 5,155 feet—is forecast to be 27 degrees that same morning.

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By Thursday, this first shot of arctic air will plunge more than 170 million Americans into below-average temperatures. The Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast will feel cooler, with the most significant change occurring in the Southeast; Cities like Nashville, Atlanta and Louisville can’t reach 40 degrees for an afternoon high.

On Saturday, a second shot of bitterly cold air will hit the upper Midwest, where high temperatures may struggle to reach 10 degrees.

This deep freeze will continue through the weekend and into early next week. To make matters worse, wind chills are expected to drop from -10 to -20 degrees in Minneapolis and Chicago on Sunday.

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Original article source: The polar vortex is fueling a dangerous spread of arctic air as the coldest temperatures remain in the U.S. for weeks