Polar vortex to usher in much colder air to central and eastern US

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Well colder air is becoming reestablished in the central and eastern portions of the

US after a recent warm-up.

Over the next two weeks, the polar vortex will be active with the possibility of cold air

dominating the weather pattern through the end of the month and into early February.

AccuWeather's lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelock said that over the next couple

of weeks, the jet stream will develop a large buckle with a northward bulge along the

Pacific coast and a southward dip centered on the Great Lakes.

This setup stretches the polar vortex, sending persistent warmth near the bulge and repeated

shots of cold air through the dip.

For example, temperatures in Chicago are expected to swing from near average to 10 to 20 degrees

below average over the next one to two weeks.

The average high in Chicago is around 32 degrees.

In New York City, temperatures will range from near the historical average in the upper

30s to 5 to 10 degrees below during the same period.

Because of the large, rounded shape of the jet stream dip, it will be difficult for storms

in the south to rapidly strengthen along the Atlantic coast and become major snowstorms.

Instead, most storms will stay weak, move quickly, and exit out to see through much

off next week.

Pastelock explained that very cold air is building back again in western and central

Canada.

But it will take some time.

Now as that happens, people in the central and eastern states will feel more typical winter

cold and colder conditions than during the past couple of weeks.

These waves of cold will bring clipper systems and rounds of lake effects snow, snow squalls

and flurries from the Midwest to the Northeast.

Later this month and into early February, there is the potential for a more significant

shift in the polar vortex.

Akiweather's Alex Stufas said there are some indicators that point toward unusual warmth

poking all the way into northern Alaska.

That setup could play a role in a major shift of the polar vortex.

Depending on snow cover across southern Canada, the Midwest and the interior northeast,

along with ice cover on the Great Lakes, this has the potential to bring some of the

coldest air of the winter.

Now, back in December, while the lakes were mostly ice-free, there was extensive snow cover

across the central and interior northeast.

On the coldest December days, temperatures in the Midwest were 20-30 degrees below average.

And in the Northeast, temperatures were 10-20 degrees below average.

Snow and ice cover tend to act as an insulator and lock out the warming effects of the

ground and water.

One way a major storm could develop would be if a roadblock in the atmosphere forms near

Greenland, which can trap storms along the Atlantic coast and raise the risk of heavy snow.

There are some signs that a large storm could develop late next week, but Akiweather's

long-range teams, as it is still too early to determine specific details of that potential

storm.

Well, maybe we'll get some interesting-looking ice rings forming on lakes like what happened

to one particular lake in Budapest, Hungary last week.

From above, ice rings appear like a bullseye, creating intricate circular patterns on lakes

and ponds.

Experts say this striking winter phenomenon only forms under the right set of weather

conditions.

The breathtaking phenomenon known as ice rings or ice swirls was recently spotted in drone

video over a frozen lake near Budapest, where temperatures have been in the upper teens

and low 20s last week and snow has been a regular occurrence.

A different angle showed similar ice rings on mirror lake in New Hampshire.

The photo was taken back in 2020 by a delighted nature photographer while ice skating.

Experts say giant ice rings like these form on lakes or other large bodies of water through

a combination of cold weather, snow and ice.

According to Dr. Gordon Geesprecht, an environmental physiologist at the University of Manitoba, the

process begins when the ice sheet is thin enough to allow snow to break through and become

saturated with water.

He said individual bullseye rings could form it under a minute, based on how quickly fluffy

snow becomes saturated with water.

The result is a stunning winter scene that appears to have been created with a paint brush.

That's all for now.

You can find more regional forecasts and science-based articles at acuether.com and for your local forecast

at your fingertips download the Acuether app.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Be safe.

I'll be back tomorrow with more from Acuether.

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