Polar Vortex Brings Arctic Chill To Much Of US
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A severe winter storm blanketed the Central and Eastern US with snow and ice. The intense system triggered a state of emergency across several states, from Kansas and Missouri to New Jersey. The Midwest was hit the hardest.
On January 5, 2025, Kansas City International Airport recorded 11 inches (27.9 cm) of snow. This is the fourth-largest single-day snowfall in the state’s history since records began in 1888. Meanwhile, Cincinnati, Ohio, saw a record-breaking snowfall of 8.4 inches (21.3 cm) surpassing the previous record of 6.9 inches (17.5 cm) set in 1977.
The heart of the country bore the brunt of the storm. However, the frigid weather is being felt along the entire eastern coast, reaching as far south as Florida. Over the next few days, wind chills in northern Florida are expected to drive temperatures as low as 20°F (-6.6°C).
The extreme cold is linked to the polar vortex — a massive, rotating pocket of frigid air around the North and South Poles. It spins counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The vortex is typically strongest in winter and usually remains near the poles. However, when it weakens or becomes unbalanced, pockets of frigid air escape, bringing extreme cold weather to surrounding areas.
Fortunately, the severe weather will not last too long. Experts predict the temperatures to rise by mid-January. If you are among the millions affected, bundle up and stay indoors as much as possible. With severe wind chills, frostbite can occur within minutes on exposed skin!
Resources: AlJazeera.com, quadcities.com, CNN.com, CBSnews.com
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47 Comments
kittycatlover11about 2 monthsI always feel so bad for the animails that live outside! but i always remeber that God has them in his hands.
kimafkk9 monthsTHATS CRAZY NGL I ALREADY GOT THE CHILLS
ameliaj2329219 monthsin Iowa its still warm
dabaddie10 monthsHere in Florida it could snow next week like in 2022. So i'm crossing my fingers😅🤞
browns1510 monthsin ohio we get alot of snow the windchill next tuesday could get below negative 20
demonboy202510 monthsi had snow then a ice storm during Christmas break which is 2 weeks long and it even added a extra week off school crazy how cold its gotten...
iseman11 monthsThis is true for ohio- browns1510 monthsyep i live in ohio i like hot weather it is way to cold right now
sciencedude1111 monthsDang good thing it's not hitting California
pebblescar11 monthsthere isn't too much snow here but it's coming I think- dabaddie11 monthsi'm here in Florida not getting anything at all the low is like 25 right now 😅