When people move to North Dakota, they likely know to expect a bitter winter. But the polar vortex weather system that on Monday swept across much of the United States may have many redefining the word bitter.
Residents in Fargo, N.D. on Monday never saw the mercury rise above 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The high temperature was -9 degrees, 27 degrees below the average temperature, according to The Weather Channel. The low temperature was -24 degrees, 25 degrees below the Fargo average.
Temperatures elsewhere in the Midwest weren't much toastier. Chicago's low was -15 degrees and Minneapolis saw a low of -23 degrees, The Weather Channel reported.
But on Tuesday, the polar vortex spread into the South and brought with it for the potential for record-low temperatures in areas with a populace unprepared for such weather.
Charlotte, N.C. early Tuesday recorded a low temperature of 7 degrees, 23 degrees below the city's January average low. and local schools were on a two-hour delay, according to the National Weather Service. Atlanta saw a low of 6 degrees, 28 degrees below the average low.
But what exactly is this polar vortex that's causing freezing temperatures that, according to Fox News, could affect up to 187 million people in the U.S.?
Ryan Maue, a Florida-based meteorologist for the private weather service WeatherBELL, described it to the Los Angeles Times as a "lobe" of dense, cold air that's normally bound in by a jet stream. This system came from above the North Pole and brought with it cold air and heavy winds.
"The polar vortex isn't this entity like a hurricane or nor'easter that develops and goes away. It's a normal feature that's part of the polar climate," Maue told The Times.
Todd Heitkamp, a warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, told The Times vehicles have trouble starting and the risk of exposure is expedited in the temperatures brought along by the polar vortex.
"If a person isn't dressed properly, and they don't have a winter survival kit in their vehicle, and if they aren't prepared, they'll have to deal with the consequences thereafter," Heitkamp said. "We have a lot of vehicles right now that are not starting."
Fargo residents have gotten used to surviving amid dangerous temperatures, but Southerners may not be as familiar with winter precautions, as their Januaries are almost always warmer. Maue told The Times that this weather system is a once-in-a-decade event.
"It affects people that aren't used to cold right now. I'm in Florida right now, and they're issuing a wind chill advisory because it's going to go below freezing," Maue said.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
