NPR

What Is The Dreaded Polar Vortex, And When Could It Arrive?

Meteorologists are warning the band of frigid Arctic air known as the polar vortex could bring severe winter weather to much of the U.S. in the coming weeks.
A woman bundles up against the cold in New York City on Jan. 8, 2014, after a polar vortex descended from the Arctic on much of the country. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Fluctuations in the band of frigid Arctic air known as the polar vortex could bring severe winter weather to much of the United States in the coming weeks.

Here & Now‘s Jeremy Hobson talks with (), director of seasonal forecasting at Atmospheric and Environmental Research and visiting scientist at MIT’s Parsons Lab, for more of an understanding of what the polar vortex is and how it impacts winter weather.

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