What the polar vortex means for Ohio
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
"Polar vortex" headlines have grabbed attention in recent winters, but such atmospheric phenomena aren't out of the ordinary, a local meteorologist tells Axios.
Why it matters: Weather like this week's storm can be disruptive and dangerous, so it's important to be prepared.
- It's also a good idea to understand the context to stay grounded.
How it works: Each winter, the polar vortex is present in the Northern Hemisphere.
- It's an area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere above the North Pole, surrounded by winds circling counterclockwise.
- Sometimes, parts of the vortex can detach and meander south.
- This week, those swirling winds stretched north and south, which some scientists tie to the recent Arctic outbreak in our area.
The latest: As of Monday, total snowfall in Franklin County ranged from 2 to 6.5 inches, shutting down schools and snarling roads.
- Now frigid cold is sweeping in, with low temperatures in the single digits possible Wednesday and Thursday nights — even before wind chill is factored in.
Context: Such cold is below normal, but not unusual for January in Columbus. To set a record this month, the low temperature on any given day would have to fall below 0° F.
- And nearly 8 inches of snow is an average total for this month, National Weather Service data shows.
Flashback: So why does "polar vortex" sound so alarming? You may be stirring up memories of the winter of 2013-14.
- On Jan. 7, 2014, Columbus' low temperature plummeted to a record low of -7 degrees.
- Our area also logged a record 56.4 inches of snow that winter season.
The intrigue: That winter was also the first time "polar vortex" became part of our vernacular, Google Trends data shows — so that storm set quite a precedent.
- It has long been a scientific term, though.
What they're saying: "Somebody mentioned it in a forecast discussion … and then everybody jumped on it and said, 'Oh yeah, that sounds cool,'" NWS Wilmington meteorologist John Franks tells Axios.
- "It's part of the everyday weather pattern in the northern latitudes."
The bottom line: If a big winter storm rolls in, it's often related to the polar vortex.
- But that doesn't mean you should panic or expect catastrophic conditions.
Go deeper: In photos: Major winter storm blasts much of the U.S.