Polar Vortex Alert: Michigan Warned Of Extended Frigid Visits

The older I get, the more I understand Michigan's more seasoned population heading south for the winter, but these cold snaps have me looking at brochures. Some embrace the bone-chilling blasts, strap skis to their feet, or tow space heaters inside shanties that they'll use while ice fishing. If you're not one of these frigid-forecast-loving individuals, I've got bad news: Michigan can expect more frequent and longer visits from the 'polar vortex.'

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If you're unfamiliar with the term or haven't heard Michigan meteorologists' favorite new buzzword, let's take a look at precisely what a polar vortex is.

What is a Polar Vortex?

First, according to meteorologist Laura Ciasto with the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, who spoke with US News, using the term 'polar vortex' to refer to Michigan's cold snaps is technically a misuse of the term. She explains that the actual polar vortex is 20 miles above what's causing these occasional, dangerously low temperatures in the Mitten State that make you want to plug in every electric blanket in existence and crawl under them.

Despite not being technically correct, it has stuck, and the term polar vortex is now used to describe what happens when the northernmost jet stream dips into the United States and delivers icy air directly from the Arctic and Canada. But why is this happening more frequently in Michigan and around the country?

Scientists Say a Warmer Earth is Causing Colder Winters

The polar jet stream typically moves in a straight line, circling the Arctic and Northern Canada. Still, it can develop curves in warmer weather, which cause them to stretch (like a rubber band), pulling the jet stream into the United States (see the graphic above for a more technical description). Usually, this may last for a day or two, but Dan DePodwin of AccuWeather, speaking with the AP, predicted these polar vortexes will happen more frequently and stay longer as the earth's temperatures rise.

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According to a new study conducted in December 2024 by Jennnifer Francis and others at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, the Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the world, as much as four times faster. This means the temperature difference between the north and south is getting smaller.

Colder Than Average Michigan Winter, Warmer Winter Globally

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that despite recent lower-than-average temperatures in Michigan, the average winter temperature worldwide is 1.1 degrees higher than a quarter century ago. 

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Regardless of how or why, the weather in Michigan is changing, so either buy a snowmobile and a down-feathered coat or head for warmer weather.