NOAA says UK polar vortex winter snow preparation may need to start sooner than usual after its Climate Prediction Center said a disruption could happen within days. The agency said the rare November setup could develop into a sudden stratospheric warming and affect temperatures in the eastern U.S.
The effects could last up to two months if the disruption takes hold. NOAA also said people should check the forecast for their area on weather.gov and review home and car emergency kits at the start of each winter season.
Jon Gottschalck and El Niño
Jon Gottschalck, a branch chief at the Climate Prediction Center, said a strong El Niño and a westerly wind pattern high in the tropical atmosphere typically favor a stronger, more stable polar vortex. He added that cold outbreaks should still be expected at times, but with more warmer-than-normal days overall.
NOAA said El Niño is expected to stay strong through at least late winter, with a high chance it will become the strongest since records began in 1950. That leaves room for short cold snaps even as the broader pattern leans milder for much of the U.S.
November and the eastern U.S.
NOAA called a sudden stratospheric warming in November very rare. The agency said the eastern U.S. is where effects could be felt if the polar vortex disruption takes hold.
The concern follows a winter pattern that already produced sharp extremes. This January, a lobe of Arctic air pushed south and brought a deep freeze to the eastern U.S. and Canada. Parts of northern Minnesota fell to -43°F on Jan. 24, Indiana recorded January lows, and Greenland's west coast had its warmest January on record.
For readers, the practical step is simple: watch local forecasts closely and check winter supplies now, not after the first cold outbreak. NOAA's warning points to a spell that could unfold quickly and linger long enough to shape more than one stretch of November weather.
