‘Triple Polar Vortex’ Could Hit U.S. Hard in Coming Weeks

It happens every fall. The publishers of The Old Farmer’s Almanac predict a horrible winter with tons of snow and extremely cold temperatures.

Print and broadcast media across the country love sensationalistic stories. So they always report on the book.

These book publishers are not stupid. They know that if their annual book forecasted a mild winter for most of the country, media wouldn’t take notice to it.

And as a result, fewer people would get the book. Why drop $10 to learn that weather shouldn’t be a problem in your area of the country this winter?

Hard to Predict, Harder to Handle

Now, The Old Farmer’s Almanac may be wrong more often than it is right. After all, many factors go into shaping what winter weather will be like.

It’s very difficult to predict accurately. Especially when weather can vary so much from one part of the country to another.

But sometimes the book is right. Sometimes certain areas of the country do get severe weather conditions during the winter.

The most important thing we can do is prepare for the worst. That way we can be ready when it happens and happy if it doesn’t.

Polar Vortex Split Likely

First let me tell you about a weather prediction for the very near future. It’s getting a lot of media attention. You may have seen something about it.

Some weather forecasters are referring to it by the name of “Triple Polar Vortex.” That’s not a real thing, but “polar vortex” is.

It’s being called “triple polar vortex” because the real polar vortex in the Artic region is likely to split into three pieces.

When it does, it is expected to move south. And they’re saying it could cause deep-freeze temperatures and lots of snow for the East Coast. As well as for Europe. And it could happen as early as the second half of this month and extend well into February.

What Is a Polar Vortex?

A polar vortex is nothing new or unusual. It is an area of low pressure at high altitudes near the North Pole.

Because nobody other than Santa and his elves lives at the North Pole, it’s generally not a problem for us.

But when this polar vortex is disrupted, it can wobble. Picture a spinning top that’s slowing down and you’ll get the idea.

When it wobbles, it can drift south (there’s no going north from the North Pole). And in this case, the prediction is that it will split into three parts.

What’s Causing the Split?

Ironically, they’re saying the warming of the air in the stratosphere is what will cause this.

We’re talking about 100,000 feet above the Arctic. And that is what has occurred over the past couple of weeks.

The sudden and significant warming showed up first in the Siberian Arctic. Then it spread over the North Pole.

In the past, when polar vortexes split, they drifted down to North America and Europe. And caused much colder-than-average temperatures and blizzards.

It Has Happened Before

Amy Butler is a research scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences.

Here’s what she says usually occurs in the 60 days or so after a polar vortex splits and starts moving south.

“In general, we see colder than normal temperatures over much of the U.S. and Europe/Northern Asia.”

Not to mention more snow than usual and damaging winds. And these effects can last for several weeks or longer.

Don’t Forget About ‘Bomb Cyclones’

Much of the U.S. has enjoyed a warmer-than-average winter up until now. But if these polar vortex predictions are accurate, that could change dramatically. And very soon.

“Confidence is growing in a significant polar vortex disruption in the coming weeks,” said Judah Cohen, a researcher from Atmospheric and Environmental Research.

He made the statement three weeks ago. Cohen added, “This could be the single most important determinant of the weather this winter across the Northern Hemisphere.”

Folks on the East Coast still remember the “bomb cyclone” they got hit with last year around this time. It’s an explosion of air pressure that causes colder temperatures, hurricane-like winds and large waves.

Be Prepared for Your Power to Go Out

The polar vortex may or may not place Americans in the deep freeze and bury many of them in snow over the next few weeks.

But one thing we can count on for certain is that something is bound to happen that will make it necessary to protect ourselves from the elements. Especially if your power goes out.

Just earlier this last month, snow storms crept through southern states causing hundreds of crashes, thousands of power outages and at least 3 deaths. Including a woman from North Carolina who died when her oxygen was cut off due to power outages at her home.

An obvious choice to help with power outages is to have a generator on hand to protect yourself and your family.

But if that generator runs on gas, there could be a bigger problem than not having power.

We recommend using a solar generator instead.

You can use it to run kitchen appliances. Charge your personal or medical devices. Or light up a room with an LED light string… for weeks at a time.

There is no worry about running it inside your house because it does not produce fumes like a gas generator.

And it recharges using only the power of the sun, so you don’t have to worry about gas shortages either.

See this personal solar power system in action