# Why Polar Vortexs all of a sudden? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343 "2014-11-11T13:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/21 "2014-11-11T21:14:25Z")
The other day Discovery News was talking about bombogenisis and the bomb cyclone. I’m guilty of it, but it always makes me chuckle when people fret and fuss about going to school or work because it’s kinda dangerous out there, and the minute school and work get called off everyone is out plowing through snow drifts to get to the party. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/22 "2014-11-11T21:26:24Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > The Polar Vortex is an actual thing, distinct from a cold front or a blast of arctic air. It’s the area of low pressure that usually sits up by the North Pole. The reason why we’re hearing about it all of a sudden is that for the last year or two, the Jet Stream that keeps it up there has been weakening, and the low pressure system and the accompanying cold air circulating around it has been popping into North America for extended visits. When I was a kid, a local weatherman would talk about a"Trough aloft" that would let the jet stream move to the south and bring cold weather to Arkansas. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/23 "2014-11-11T21:32:23Z")
> [@ArztWolf](#): > > Why is it that we have only had “Polar Vortexs” in the past two years? That isn’t true, [on every level](http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/facts/vortex_NH.html). The scientific term is [circumpolar vortex](http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22circumpolar+vortex%22&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C10), which refers to the constant circular flow of winds around the poles of the planet. [Definition of polar vortex](http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Polar_vortex). They have always existed, as far as we know. The one around Antarctica is much larger and stronger, and quite another subject. The polar vortex commonly means the north polar circumpolar flow, and is [the subject of much research](http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/1520-0493(1977)105%3C0019:VISALO%3E2.0.CO%3B2), and [both terms have been used since the 1940s](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=polar+vortex%2Ccircumpolar+vortex&case_insensitive=on&year_start=1940&year_end=2006&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t4%3B%2Cpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BPolar%20Vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BPolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B.t4%3B%2Ccircumpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bcircumpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCircumpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCircumpolar%20Vortex%3B%2Cc0). Here is [a NASA page about it](http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/facts/vortex_NH.html)from 2010. > [@ArztWolf](#): > > I never heard of them happening in previous years? The popular media introduced the term again during the extreme winter of 2013, but if you were old you would remember it being used during the brutal winters back in the 1970s, when it was used to explain why the winters were so unusual, though the correct term circumpolar vortex was used then. Link to [Time article using the term](http://web.archive.org/web/20060812025725/http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/printout/0,23657,944914,00.html). Note that the reason for the extreme outbreaks of arctic air was thought to be global cooling. > [@ArztWolf](#): > > Is it a new phenomenon or just new terminology? The terminology is sort of new, as is the reasoning to explain it. Previous extreme outbreaks of very cold arctic air descending were [attributed to the arctic being very cold](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22polar%20vortex%22&tbs=bks:1,cdr:1,cd_min:1964,cd_max:1991&lr=lang_en&gws_rd=ssl). Now it is [blamed on the arctic being very warm](http://www.noaa.gov/features/02_monitoring/warmarctic.html). There is [a lot of research on the circum **polar** vortex](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22circumpolar%20vortex%22&tbs=bks:1,cdr:1,cd_min:1978,cd_max:1993&lr=lang_en&gws_rd=ssl). Once again, [the terms are not new at all](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=polar+vortex%2Ccircumpolar+vortex&case_insensitive=on&year_start=1930&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t4%3B%2Cpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BPolar%20Vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BPolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B.t4%3B%2Ccircumpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bcircumpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCircumpolar%20vortex%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCircumpolar%20Vortex%3B%2Cc0). ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/24 "2014-11-11T21:39:04Z")
here is [an article about the polar vortex](http://www.erh.noaa.gov/iln/climo/summaries/winter76-77/cold1977.php) which includes the winter of 1977, a winter that makes the last two US winters look like a sunny day at the beach. (haha just kidding) [here is another article about the PV](http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/evolution-of-an-arctic-outbrea/4721288) > [@](#): > > Only a larger vortex farther south would result in a full throttle widespread wave of frigid air from the northern Plains and New England southward to Texas and Florida. > > According to Expert Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek, “This occurred during the super Arctic outbreaks in December of 1983 and 1989, as well as in January 1985 and 1994.” Here is a book talking about [the polar vortex of 1979](http://books.google.com/books?id=N1oNurYZefAC&lpg=PA429&dq=%22polar%20vortex%22&pg=PA430#v=onepage&q=%22polar%20vortex%22&f=false). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/25 "2014-11-11T21:45:02Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Please. Polar _Vortices_. No thanks. It’s now a english word. We pluralize those by adding a “s”. Anything else is either pretentious or confusing or both. Like “octopi” which is wrong on several fronts. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/26 "2014-11-11T21:49:53Z")
It helps a lot to mislabel a thing a “polar vortex” when it’s not. E.g., the cold blast in the US this week isn’t but is frequently called one. That certainly ups the occurence of the name. Similarly, a “Chinook wind” is a warm, wet southerly winter wind that comes off the Pacific on the PNW coast. It’s been taken over as a term for a dry, warming wind (i.e., a foehn wind) coming down off the east slope of the Rockies now. So the people in Denver never used to hear about a Chinook wind, but now they get them all the time. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/27 "2014-11-11T22:30:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No thanks. It’s now a english word. We pluralize those by adding a “s”. Anything else is either pretentious or confusing or both. Like “octopi” which is wrong on several fronts. At any rate, “vortexs” is incorrect. If you do not like “vortices,” try “vortexes,” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/28 "2014-11-11T22:43:56Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > At any rate, “vortexs” is incorrect. If you do not like “vortices,” try “vortexes,” Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/29 "2014-11-11T22:59:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No thanks. It’s now a english word. We pluralize those by adding a “s”. Anything else is either pretentious or confusing or both. Like “octopi” which is wrong on several fronts. What’s the plural of “mouse”? ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/30 "2014-11-11T23:02:39Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Anything else is either pretentious or confusing or both. Like “octopi” which is wrong on several fronts. Except, interestingly, on the front of “everyone understanding what you meant” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/31 "2014-11-11T23:03:07Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > What’s the plural of “mouse”? Müesli. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/32 "2014-11-11T23:19:07Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Müesli. [Meeces](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QI_2ERlcM8). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/33 "2014-11-11T23:30:19Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > Except, interestingly, on the front of “everyone understanding what you meant” 😃 You cant figure out _octopuses_? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/34 "2014-11-12T12:06:44Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Similarly, a “Chinook wind” is a warm, wet southerly winter wind that comes off the Pacific on the PNW coast. It’s been taken over as a term for a dry, warming wind (i.e., a foehn wind) coming down off the east slope of the Rockies now. So the people in Denver never used to hear about a Chinook wind, but now they get them all the time. For that one, I think you can blame the Canadians. They’ve been calling the foehn winds in Alberta by the name of Chinook for a long time. Looks like the term has moved south. ---
**Author:** ![RememberMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@RememberMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RememberMe)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/35 "2014-11-12T13:23:38Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You cant figure out _octopuses_? 😕 Its hard enough to figure out one, let alone EIGHT! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/36 "2014-11-12T14:47:33Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > Read the descriptions about the “Blue Northerner” that used to hit in North Texas. Aaaargh! You mean “blue norther”. The fuss over “polar vortex” mirrors the crapola over “El Nino/Nina”, as if these cyclic changes were brand new. We’ve had downsurges of cold air from the Arctic/Canada for a very long time in the U.S. Places in the upper South have had to deal with unusually low winter temperatures on a semi-regular basis, at least every dozen years or so (for example, when I lived in Kentucky some years ago we hit -20F, which is a bit colder than usual. :)) In addition to being hailed (falsely) as proof of climate change (remember, _every_ unusual weather event is due to climate change :dubious:), media hyping of the “polar vortex” is part of the general wussification of our culture. A wire service article on the current cold snap breathlessly noted the fact that snow had fallen in Minnesota (in November!!!\*) and that it was accompanied by sleet (with its pellets “stinging the exposed skin” of hapless pedestrians). It is enough to make one cry in sympathy, or would have if we hadn’t had a brief bout of sleet in my neck of the woods a month ago, no doubt prompting the Ohio National Guard to be called out to rescue civilians caught in it. \*snow this time of year in Minnesota has got to be a virtually annual event. But acknowledging that doesn’t sell papers or drive website traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/37 "2014-11-12T15:31:55Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > I seem to recall that once upon a time they were sometimes called an “arctic blast”. I think that got co-opted by the gum people. Hard to drum up fear over saying it’s going to be wintery fresh outside tomorrow. Know what would be awesome? A polar bear vortex. Someone pitch that to Syfy. ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/38 "2014-11-12T16:50:02Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Unfortunately a load of weeds and bugs survived as well. Haven’t noticed any difference on that where we are. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/39 "2014-11-12T17:45:01Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I think that got co-opted by the gum people. Hard to drum up fear over saying it’s going to be wintery fresh outside tomorrow. > > Know what would be awesome? A polar bear vortex. Someone pitch that to Syfy. _Sharknado III: Polar Bear Vortex_? Sure, why not. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343/40 "2014-11-12T17:58:09Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You cant figure out _octopuses_? 😕 No, read the quote: > [@](#): > > Except, interestingly, on the front of “everyone understanding what you meant” This means everyone understands what you mean if you say “octopi” I don’t see how you can parse it to think it means “no one understands what you mean when you say _octopodes_” 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-polar-vortexs-all-of-a-sudden/704343.md?page=3)