Polar vortex facts for kids
A polar vortex is a huge area of cold, swirling air. It stays high up above the geographical poles of a planet. On Earth, we find it in the middle and upper parts of our atmosphere. This includes the troposphere and stratosphere.
This giant swirl of air gets stronger in the winter months. It becomes weaker as summer approaches. These vortexes are very big, usually stretching between 620 to 1,240 miles across. In the Northern Hemisphere, the air in a polar vortex spins counter-clockwise.
The way a polar vortex spins is similar to how hurricanes spin. This is due to something called the Coriolis effect. The Arctic vortex, which is the one over the North Pole, has two main centers. One is located over Baffin Island in Canada. The other is over northeastern Siberia in Russia.
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What is a Polar Vortex?
A polar vortex is like a giant, stable cyclone. Think of it as a huge, spinning storm of cold air. It's not a storm that brings rain or snow directly. Instead, it holds very cold air close to the poles.
Where is it Located?
On Earth, the polar vortex is found high up in the atmosphere. The troposphere is the lowest part of our atmosphere where most weather happens. The stratosphere is the layer above that. The polar vortex sits in both these layers. It surrounds areas of high pressure near the poles.
How Does it Change?
The polar vortex changes with the seasons. In winter, the air over the poles gets very cold. This makes the vortex stronger and more stable. It acts like a wall, keeping the coldest air trapped at the poles.
As spring and summer arrive, the poles get more sunlight. The air warms up, and the vortex weakens. When it weakens, it can sometimes stretch or split. This allows very cold air to escape from the poles and move to other parts of the world.
The Coriolis Effect
The Coriolis effect is a force that makes moving objects curve. It's caused by the Earth's rotation. This effect is why large weather systems like hurricanes and polar vortexes spin. In the Northern Hemisphere, it makes things curve to the right. This causes the counter-clockwise spin of the polar vortex.
Arctic Vortex Centers
The Arctic polar vortex isn't always a perfect circle. It often has two main areas where the air pressure is lowest and the spin is strongest. These are like the "eyes" of the vortex. One is usually found near Baffin Island in Canada. The other is over northeastern Siberia. These locations can shift slightly.
More Pictures
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Polar vortex over the United Kingdom on December 17, 2010.
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Polar vortex and weather impacts due to stratospheric warming
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Low pressure area over Quebec, Maine, and New Brunswick, part of the northern polar vortex weakening, on the record-setting cold morning of January 21, 1985
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Southern Hemisphere Ozone Concentration, February 22, 2012
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Hubble view of the colossal polar cloud on Mars
See also
In Spanish: Vórtice polar para niños
