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

See Examples For:

polar vortex

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

From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2026

To answer that, we need to take a look at the polar vortex, a ring of frigid air that typically sits high up in the atmosphere above the North Pole.

From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2026

Some research suggests climate change could be playing a role in disruptions to the polar vortex -- a vast region of cold, low-pressure air that normally circulates high above the Arctic.

From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 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

"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