The polar vortex returns. Here’s how cold it’ll get where you are

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The polar vortex is returning to the U.S. after an unusually warm January thaw, bringing a dramatic shift in temperatures
• A series of cold waves will sweep across the country, starting with a major dip in the East Coast temperatures
• Florida will even experience freezing temperatures this Friday, as cold air plunges across the Gulf of Mexico

🔭 The context: This weather pattern follows a disrupted polar vortex, which has shifted southward from its usual position above the North Pole
• The persistent cold has caused subzero temperatures across northern states, impacting millions of Americans
• Despite the chill, temperature records are unlikely to be broken, a sign of how warming trends are complicating extreme weather patterns

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The return of the polar vortex highlights the ongoing volatility in global weather patterns, intensified by climate change
• While parts of the Northern Hemisphere, such as Greenland, have seen above-average warmth, colder temperatures are being pushed further south
• As the frequency of extreme weather events like these increases, they could place additional strain on infrastructure, agriculture, and public health

⏭️ What’s next: The U.S. is expected to experience more cold surges into next week, with the harshest conditions arriving by the end of January
• These cold waves could bring widespread subzero temperatures to large swaths of the country, including Minnesota and Maine
• A potential winter storm could form, adding to the impact of the ongoing cold snap

💬 One quote: “It’s basically inevitable that we will pass that threshold, and it’s up to us to decide how we want to deal with the enhanced and increased higher risk that we will face as a consequence of this,” Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service

📈 One stat: 40 million people are forecast to experience subzero temperatures over the next week

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