February 1,2019

The phenomenon of Arctic air trapped in North America became widely known as “polar vortex”, which was first called by the media in 2014. Scientists pointed out climate change, such as disturbances in the jet stream and the intrusion of warmer air, would drive the Arctic air to flow south into middle latitudes.

On January 30, the polar vortex has broken in two, bringing the coldest conditions in decades to the US Midwest. Millions across the Midwest are enduring a bitterly freeze normally reserved for the Arctic Circle as temperatures plummeted to nearly 50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. Chicago was reported 10 degrees Fahrenheit colder than Antarctica.

At least six deaths were related to the deep freeze. Wisconsin and Michigan declared states of emergency and all state government offices were closed.