POLAR VORTEX EVENTS and the Persistence of Global Warming

POLAR VORTEX EVENTS
AND THE PERSISTENCE
​OF GLOBAL WARMING

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 10:30pm

IMAGE: NOAA

Polar Vortex 101

The Polar Vortex is the band of supercold air that normally stays in a tight circle spinning around the North Pole. There is also a similar one, the Antarctic Vortex, that hangs tight spinning around the South Pole. 

As long as the Polar Vortices stay strong and in place, the Jet Streams that circle the Earth are kept on their paths. A strong Jet Stream sends its air current in a constant circle around the Earth, and for the US, the North stays colder while the South stays warmer. 

IMAGE: NOAA

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Polar Vortex Events

A strong Polar Vortex is a good thing. But sometimes - the Polar Vortices become weak, and that becomes a problem for the climate:

• Without the strong Polar Vortex in place to keep the Jet Stream positioned in a constant circular pattern, the Jet Stream weakens and and its reach become wavy
  
  
  • The Arctic Air beneath the Polar Vortex gets pulled towards the equator
    
    
    • Temperatures in line with that air current take a drastic frigid drop​
      
      
  • At the same time, "Warm Air Intrusion" pulls other air currents towards the Pole
    ​
    • Temperatures in line with that current rise many degrees above the seasonal average

November and December, 2016
Temperatures at the North Pole were ten degrees hotter than normal, while Siberia was sixty degrees below normal. 

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Arctic Amplification: The Weakened Polar Vortex

Because of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, the Earth is warming, and the Arctic is warming at a rate three times faster than any other place on earth.
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This quickening warming rate is referred to as "Arctic Amplification" and has a direct impact on the weakening of a Polar Vortex: 

IMAGE: NOAA

In February 2017, at a time when the Ice should have been thickening, about a third of the Ice which normally covers Alaska’s Bering Sea completely disappeared. ​

• As the Earth warms, the Ocean temperatures rise
  
  
  • Warmer Oceans melt the Arctic Ice
    
    
    • ​Without the cover of Ice, Oceans absorb more Heat Energy from the Sun
      
      
      • The Ocean's Heat Energy escapes and enters into the atmosphere of the Polar Vortex
        
        
        • The pulses of Heat Energy disrupt the Polar Vortex which weakens it and causes it to shift away from the Pole

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Growing Frequency of Polar Vortex Events

Polar Vortex Events are not a new phenomenon but, because of the growing frequency of their occurrences, they are being linked to Climate Change. Scientists have been observing the increasing number of atmospheric events and have demonstrated that, compared to past climate records, they are observing many more "Weak Vortex Days" than they are observing "Strong Vortex Days." ​​

Washington Post:
"A study, led by Marlene Kretschmer of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, sought to find patterns in the stratospheric polar vortex over the past 37 years, categorizing its behavior into seven states, ranging from a tight loop around the Arctic to “a weak distorted vortex.” And it determined that the stronger and more defined vortex has been occurring less frequently, while distorted states have been growing more common."

IMAGE: Marlene Kretschmer

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Weakened Wobbly Jet Streams

When the Polar Vortex is strong it creates a consistent circular space for a strong Jet Stream path. But when the Vortex is weak, the Jet Stream gets thrown off kilter and the circle becomes a wobbly spidery wave pulling cold air to the South and dragging warm air to the North.

On Jan. 26, 2014, it was 54° in Homer, Alaska.

On that day, Homer was the third hottest place in the United States following behind southern Florida and southern California. ​

During the Winters of 2014 and 2015, the warmth of the Pacific Ocean along the west coast affected the Polar Vortex which brought about the Jet Stream dropping at times far down into North America. 

In turn this Polar Vortex Event created the dichotomy of extremely cold winters across the US while at the same time, Alaska experienced a Heat Wave.

​The event ultimately caused mild conditions in the Arctic which led, of course, to more Ice melting and warmer seas. 

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The Persistence of Global Warming

NOAA: 
"The events of 2018 show no indication that the Arctic will revert to the cool and icy conditions of the past any time soon."

Until something is done to break the trends of Global Warming, we will all have to learn to live with this increased likelihood of Polar Vortex Events and the dangerous and uncertain weather patterns that they bring.

As Stephen Hawking warned, "We are close to the tipping point where Global Warming becomes irreversible."

Let's hope not. ​