Arctic Blast to Bring Record-breaking Cold to the United States This Week
A critically important arctic blast is poised to sweep across the United States this week, threatening to shatter temperature records and bring widespread, potentially dangerous cold. The impending freeze is fueled by a collision of cold air from the north with warmer air masses, and a weakened polar vortex contributing to a more erratic jet stream.
The approaching conditions are particularly noteworthy as they arrive weeks before the official start of winter. While fluctuating temperatures are expected throughout december, forecasters warn of a particularly intense cold snap expected to impact a large portion of the country around mid-December. this isn’t solely attributable to the polar vortex, but it is indeed a significant contributing factor, according to experts.
The weak polar vortex is also causing a wavier jet stream – wind currents flowing west to east across the northern hemisphere. “A wavy jet stream can cause whiplash,” explained Judah Cohen, a meteorologist at MIT. This means frequent swings between milder and frigid temperatures as storms move through.
NOAA research meteorologist Amy Butler anticipates the polar vortex will expand further over North America in approximately 7 to 10 days. López Lang cautioned that while the polar vortex contributes to the temperature fluctuations,it isn’t the sole cause.
