After arctic temps and flurries accompanied the winter solstice, it looks like we’ll be ringing in 2025 in our most trustworthy black puffer coats as well–that’s thanks to a polar vortex that’s bringing “bitterly cold” temperatures to NYC, making January the coldest it’s been in more than a decade.
Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for this “dangerous, damaging, and disruptive” weather:
What is a polar vortex?
According to the NOAA, a polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air that surrounds both of the Earth’s poles, and the “vortex” itself refers to the clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles.
Often during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the polar vortex weakens and expands, sending cold air southward. When this happens, cold air gets blasted all over the U.S. and, paired with pressure changes and the polar vortex movement, is the recipe for your classic winter weather.
How long does a polar vortex last?
The strength of the polar vortex varies depending on a variety of factors. Cold temperatures could last as little as a week, or stick around for longer than a month.
Why is a polar vortex dangerous?
A polar vortex is dangerous due to the extremely cold arctic air it brings, causing prolonged periods of dangerously low temperatures in regions not typically accustomed to such cold. This cold can potentially lead to health risks–including hypothermia, frostbite, and other health complications–especially for those that aren’t prepared with proper clothing and shelter.
When will the polar vortex hit NYC?
Unfortunately we New Yorkers have already been experiencing these frigid temperatures since the start of the month, and they’re not going anywhere. Governor Kathy Hochul and the National Weather Service are warning that temperatures across the region this week will dip into “dangerously cold” territory. Highs in NYC for the rest of the week will be as follows:
- Wednesday, January 8th: 27º
- Thursday, January 9th: 32º
- Friday, January 10th: 39º
Wind chill values are making the city feel even colder, however. Meteorologist Matt Wunsch with the National Weather Service stated, “Even though the lows will be kind of closer to 20, that combined with the wind will make it feel closer to 10 degrees.” He added that Wednesday night, January 8th, will likely be the coldest point this week, with a “real-feel” temperature in the single digits.
AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok stated:
The bulk of the cold is likely to occur before the middle of the month and may be so extreme that this could end up being the coldest January since 2011 for the U.S. as a whole.
Beyond the frigid temps, the vortex also has the potential to bring “significant winter storms” along with it this week–the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a risk of heavy snow between January 7th and 11th. And these predictions are pretty solid. The Fox meteorologist added:
This is a very highly confident forecast. Across the board the weather models are screaming at us that this really cold air is on the way.
As for when we’ll get a break from this weather, it looks like that won’t be happening until February. And considering last winter was named the warmest one since 1893, we’ll unfortunately be in for a rude awakening with this upcoming forecast.
In the meantime, you can get a respite from the cold at one of NYC’s many spas, like this Scandinavian-inspired one with panoramic NYC views!