Polar Vortex: How the Jet Stream and Climate Change Bring on Cold Snaps
It might seem counterintuitive, but global warming plays a role in blasts of bitter
cold weather. The reason: It influences the jet stream. Here’s how.
By Bob Berwyn, InsideClimate News
Feb 2, 2018
The jet stream—a powerful river of wind high in the atmosphere—shapes the Northern Hemisphere's weather, including bitter cold snaps. Because it plays a key role in weather extremes, climate scientists are striving to understand its changing dynamics.
Here's a closer look at what the jet stream is, what's influencing its wobbly behavior and why it matters.
First things first: What is the jet stream?
The jet stream races from west to east at speeds up to 275 miles an hour, undulating north and south as it goes.
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02022018/cold-weather-polar-vortex-jet-stream-explained-global-warming-arctic-ice-climate-change
