'What Is A Polar Vortex?' 5 Questions, Answered

Unless you have the pleasure of living in Los Angeles or Miami, you've probably noticed that it's mind-numbingly freezing outside.

Wind chill warnings and watches are in effect throughout twenty-six states as of Monday, and this can be blamed on something called a "polar vortex," a term unfamiliar to most meteorological outsiders. Even with a scientific explanation, it's still a somewhat elusive weather phenomenon. If you've been asking, "What is a polar vortex?" you're not alone.

Here are five questions about the polar vortex, answered.

What is a polar vortex? (In a nutshell, please)

'Today' show co-anchor Al Roker summed up the polar vortex as a "polar hurricane." But that description may be a little misleading. So what is a polar vortex, exactly? It's a constant mass of Arctic air that typically centers near the Earth's north and south poles, where it circulates in a counterclockwise direction.

Okay...but is is a polar vortex a storm?

No, but that doesn't mean it's not dangerous.

"The polar vortex isn't this entity like a hurricane or nor'easter that develops and goes away," meteorologist Ryan Maue told The Los Angeles Times. "It's a normal feature that's part of the polar climate."

In short, a polar vortex is a normal, persistent weather system in the Arctic. But when the vortex weakens, its mass expands to Canada. Less often, it reaches the States, which is what we're experiencing now.

I'm cold! When is the polar vortex going away?

While the cold weather is intense, the Arctic air won't stick around for too long.

"The U.S. as a whole should start warming up later this week," reports TIME's Megan Murphy. "Though, by 'warming,' we mean getting into the 30s or so, in parts of the Midwest."

So don't lose the Snuggies and blanket warmers just yet.

Is the polar vortex due to global warming?

Maybe. Some argue that the chilling weather disproves global warming. But Mark Fischetti of Scientific American explains that the melting of Arctic sea ice is actually what causes the polar vortex to distort and weaken, moving its cold winds down to the States.

"Although the extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic varies year to year, overall it has been disappearing to a notable degree since 2007 and it is forecast to continue to vanish even further. That could mean more trouble for the polar vortex, and more frigid outbreaks-a seeming contradiction to 'global warming,' perhaps, but not for 'global weirding,' also known as climate change."

Is the polar vortex dangerous?

Like a lot of weather conditions, this freeze can cause dangerous problems. As of Monday evening, 16 deaths have been reported from the chilling weather conditions. While most of these deaths were due to traffic accidents, at least two people have died of hypothermia. Minneapolis has issued a warning, calling the weather a "historic and life-threatening cold."

Those affected should avoid driving, check on elderly relatives and stay indoors whenever possible.