These polar vortex stretches are happening more frequently as the world — and especially the Arctic — warms, a 2021 paper published in the journal Science, also co-authored by Cohen, demonstrated.

The polar vortex is to blame. The United States has been at the epicenter of the planet’s most unusually cold conditions early in 2025. Accessibility statement Skip to main content ...

On Monday, the polar vortex will reach the Deep South, with temperatures down to the freezing point of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in Atlanta. Wind chills will be in the 20s.