Polar vortex, the term attributed to the recent frigid weather patterns that recently put much of North America, Europe and even the Middle East into the deep freeze, is now slated to become even more frequent, due to the increasing melt-down of the earth’s Arctic ice cap. The polar bears are moving south and if you are living in a warm or tropical country, now might be a good time to get a second citizenship!
This phenomena is caused by a weakening of the normal jet stream air currents that encircle the earth’s arctic regions, due to higher than average summer temperatures. As a result, these “meandering” jet stream air currents are now dipping into the more southern regions, bringing with them frigid Arctic air.
Fortunately, these polar air dips usually last only a week or two; but they are intense enough to make northern American cities like Chicago, Detroit and New York City experience frigid temperatures of well below zero; often combined with heavy snowfall and strong winds. Many European cities experience intense these winter weather bouts as well. Climatologists and other scientists studying the adverse weather patterns are now tying these jet stream dips to faster than expected melting of Arctic ice, especially in the polar region.
Melting polar ice fields are exposing more of the dark Arctic Ocean surface, which absorbs more sunlight, resulting in an even more accelerated melting factor. The result are increased ocean temperatures, which cause the newer layers of Arctic ice to melt even faster.
Many climatologists are now attributing this to mankind’s continued reliance on fossil fuels, combined with other human influenced depletions of the earth’s natural environment. In regions such as the Middle East, people now experience more adverse weather patterns, including crazy summer “heat domes” that will make many areas (like Jerusalem above) uninhabitable by 2100.
“We are now in “uncharted territory,” says Prof Jennifer Francis, an Arctic climate expert at Rutgers University in the US. “These rapid changes in the Arctic are affecting weather patterns where you live right now.”
Read more on human caused climate change issues:
It’s not the tide. It’s not the wind. It’s us.
Will the polar vortex “dip” freeze the Middle East?
Time to Adapt to Climate Change
