Polar Vortex

So. Is this the "new normal" of climate change? Polar Vortex to Bring 'Coldest Air for More Than a Decade' to Northeast

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Millions of Americans across the Northeast should brace for what could be the coldest temperatures in over a decade this Valentine's Day weekend, forecasters warned Friday.

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The National Weather Service said the "life threatening" icy blast was set to arrive in the region Saturday, but the coldest air would not arrive until Sunday morning with several cities facing the prospect of subzero temperatures.

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Boston's forecast low of -2 looked relatively balmy compared to the outlook for -9 in Hartford, Connecticut. Albany was forecast to experience -10 with -11 possible in Worcester, Massachusetts, according to The Weather Channel.

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A map of forecast temperatures over the Valentine's Day weekend. The Weather Channel

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Wind chills are expected to plummet 20 to 40 degrees below zero across the region, with the National Weather Service issuing a patchwork of wind-chill warnings and watches. It said conditions "will result in frostbite and lead to hypothermia or death if precautions are not taken."

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While the East was likely to be locked in a freezer the whole weekend, the West will feel like a different season with temperatures in 80s and 90s in California, Arizona and elsewhere, according to forecasters.

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Polar Vortex, wiki

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There are two polar vortices in the atmosphere of planet Earth, one around the North Pole, and one around the South Pole. Each polar vortex is a persistent, large-scale cyclone, circling the planet's geographical poles. The bases of the two polar vortices are located in the middle and upper troposphere and extend into the stratosphere. They surround the polar highs and lie in the wake of the polar front. These cold-core low-pressure areas strengthen in the winter and weaken in the summer due to their dependence upon the temperature differential between the equator and the poles.

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The typical polar vortex configuration in November, 2013...	A wavy polar vortex on January 5, 2014.

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The Northern Hemisphere (Arctic) vortex often contains two low pressure centers, one near Baffin Island, Canada and the other over northeast Siberia. ...

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Climate change

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A study in 2001 found that stratospheric circulation can have anomalous effects on weather regimes.[30] In the same year researchers found a statistical correlation between weak polar vortex and outbreaks of severe cold in the Northern Hemisphere.[31][32] In more recent years scientists identified interactions with Arctic sea ice decline, reduced snow cover, evapotranspiration patterns, NAO anomalies or weather anomalies which are linked to the polar vortex and jet stream configuration.[30][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] However, because the specific observations are considered short-term observations (starting c. 13 years ago) there is considerable uncertainty in the conclusions. Climatology observations require several decades to definitively distinguish natural variability from climate trends.

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The general assumption is that reduced snow cover and sea ice reflect less sunlight and therefore evaporation and transpiration increases, which in turn alters the pressure and temperature gradient of the polar vortex, causing it to weaken or collapse. This becomes apparent when the jet stream amplitude increases (meanders) over the northern hemisphere, causing Rossby waves to propagate farther to the south or north, which in turn transports warmer air to the north pole and polar air into lower latitudes. The jet stream amplitude increases with a weaker polar vortex, hence increases the chance for weather systems to become blocked. A recent blocking event emerged when a high-pressure over Greenland steered Hurricane Sandy into the northern Mid-Atlantic states.[39]

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Looks like they will have another year to study this phenomena.Enjjjjoy

Maybe down to 1 or 0 degrees Fahrenheit here in Woods Hole. Gotta set the faucets to drip.

LOL are the waterlines not buried deep enough to not freeze?

Lemme guess--thats common sense in Slovenia.

And Minnesota

Well um duh, i think its the standard to bury a waterline a minimum of 80 cm deep.Yea i know why cant the government but out of out businesses why should we listen to the government and bury them so deep, what about our freedom to have no water in winter Edited by frako, : No reason given.

frako asks: Certainly, but they have to get into the house and to the 2nd floor plumbing, and when we cut the heat down to save costs, there is a risk of freezing inside the house, against the outer wall.

Something WE don't have to worry about this year.So far added insulation I installed last time has prevented pipe freezing here ... but it only got down to 6°F here ...Once again we have an unusually warm arctic that is driving the polar vortex south.And yes, this IS climate change.Enjoy