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.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• polar vortexes
  plural
• polar vortices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of polar vortex

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Weather impacts from a polar vortex split tend to be delayed for about two weeks, so that puts us at roughly three weeks from now.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

In the months since, the polar vortex has been stuck in a cycle of stretching, snapping back, and stretching again, contributing to the bone-chilling temperatures.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

Some experts contend climate change could influence the behaviour of the polar vortex due to changes in sea surfaces temperatures in our warming world.

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