polar vortex

American  

[poh-ler vawr-teks] / ˈpoʊ lər ˈvɔr tɛks /

noun

polar vortices, plural polar vortexes plural

1. a whirling mass of very cold air that sits over the North or South Pole.

   A displaced polar vortex is causing Arctic temperatures across the United States.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• polar vortexes
  plural
• polar vortices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of polar vortex

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Our polar vortex is being pummeled by a “wrestling tag team,” says Cohen.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

And probably all the snow: Recent research by Cohen found that polar vortex stretches align with the heaviest and deepest snowfalls.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

The polar vortex - a ring of strong westerly winds that form above the Arctic every winter containing a pool of very cold air - led to the powerful storm, according to weather experts.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

An unusually brutal winter storm is set to pummel more than 160 million Americans from Friday, as a stretched "polar vortex" sends a devastating blast of Arctic air, bringing heavy snows and freezing rains.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

"A weaker-than-normal polar vortex this past August helped keep temperatures above average and likely contributed to a smaller ozone hole," said Ciasto.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2025