Global Warming affects Polar Vortex: 2025 to experience extreme cold and heat

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025

The United States and Canada are currently experiencing a severe winter storm, which began last week, impacting over 60 million people across the eastern US. The cold wave, with temperatures potentially dropping as low as -50°C, is influenced by the "Polar Vortex."

The Polar Vortex is a rotating wind pattern around the North Pole, moving counterclockwise at speeds up to 250 km/h. It consists of two types of winds: the tropospheric vortex, which occurs in the lower atmosphere and causes warm weather in northern latitudes, and the stratospheric vortex, which affects the atmosphere at 10-30 km above the ground and forms in the fall, dissipating in the spring.

Both types of vortex winds play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate. Normally, cold air from the Arctic remains contained within the polar regions. However, when temperatures in the lower atmosphere rise, the vortex weakens, allowing cold air to escape the Arctic and spread to other regions, sometimes reaching areas as far south as Florida.

Global Warming affects Polar Vortex: 2025 to experience extreme cold and heat

While extreme cold temperatures from a weakened Polar Vortex are cyclical, they are not an annual occurrence. The phenomenon gained attention during the 2013-2014 winter. That year, the Polar Vortex caused significant cold and snowfall across Canada and the eastern U.S., making it one of the coldest winters on record. Major cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago were covered in snow, and it became the year with the 10th most snowfall recorded in history. According to NASA, the 2013-14 Polar Vortex caused 92.5% of the Great Lakes to freeze over, marking the second-largest ice coverage in history.

Current reports from Newsweek indicate that the Polar Vortex is continuing to affect the US and Canada throughout January.

Researchers are exploring how climate change may impact the intensity and frequency of Polar Vortex-related cold spells. Some data suggests that global warming may weaken the Polar Vortex due to uneven warming, particularly in the Arctic. This can increase the risk of the vortex breaking apart and expanding, bringing cold weather to regions like Europe and Northern Asia.

In Thailand, however, the prolonged cold weather this year is not caused by the Polar Vortex. The Thai Meteorological Department has clarified that the cold weather is due to a high-pressure system, or strong cold air mass, from China, which has spread to northern Thailand. The Himalayan mountain range also acts as a barrier, preventing the Polar Vortex from affecting the country.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts that 2025 will see record-breaking heat, continuing the trend set in 2024 and 2023. Rising greenhouse gas levels will further exacerbate extreme weather events and potentially lead to more severe natural disasters.