US EditionHow the Polar Vortex and Warm Ocean Intensified a Major US Winter Storm
Late January storm caused widespread power outages and heavy snow by combining a southward polar vortex and Gulf moisture, impacting states from New Mexico to New England, NOAA reported.
- On Jan. 24, 2026 Mathew Barlow, Professor of Climate Science, UMass Lowell, and Judah Cohen, Climate scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported forecasts showing the polar vortex overlapped the jet stream over the central and eastern U.S..
- Atmospheric dynamics explain how a stretched stratospheric polar vortex can reflect waves back down to the troposphere, exaggerating jet stream swings and increasing severe winter risks.
- Atmospheric waves propagated between the stratosphere and jet stream , while jet stream disturbances drew moisture from the warm Gulf of Mexico, fueling heavy precipitation.
- National Weather Service issued severe storm, ice, and extreme cold warnings on Jan. 24, 2026, while forecasts on Jan. 26, 2026 showed the freezing line reaching far into Texas, leaving hundreds of thousands without power across the South and heavy snow in the Midwest and Northeast.
- While scientists note Earth's climate is unequivocally warming and snow amounts are decreasing, research suggests cold events remain severe; one factor may be polar vortex disruptions linked to rapid Arctic warming, with NCAR and federal research labs supporting forecasting amid funding pressures.
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11 Articles
How the polar vortex and warm ocean intensified a major US winter storm
A severe winter storm that brought crippling freezing rain, sleet and snow to a large part of the U.S. in late January 2026 left a mess in states from New Mexico to New England. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power across the South as ice pulled down tree branches and power lines, more than a foot of snow fell in parts of the Midwest and Northeast, and many states faced bitter cold that was expected to linger for days.
Climate change's role in the monster winter storm of January 2026: warmer oceans, more moisture and a dislocated 'polar vortex'
Intense events do not necessarily change in the same way as average events. It appears that the most intense winter storms may be becoming more intense.
While the Americans are being refrigerated, Donald Trump is ironizing on climate change and he is wrong to do so.
An intense winter storm, fueled by anomalies in the polar vortex, is battering large swathes of the United States, leaving at least 20 dead and hundreds of thousands of homes without power. Sub-zero temperatures have led to states of emergency being declared in several areas, while thousands of flights continue to be canceled due to the harsh weather conditions. What is the polar vortex? The phenomenon affects a region stretching from Texas to …
The devastating winter storm in the United States is mainly caused by a polar vortex, which has spread from Texas to New England. Winter storms in the United States have caused the death of at least 20 people, leaving thousands without electricity and causing the cancellation of thousands of flights. In addition, because of the low temperatures dozens of states of emergency have been declared.This level of ice and snow accumulation, experts say,…
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