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Where is the polar vortex located?

Weather and climatePolar climate

Quick Answer

The polar vortex is centered over the Arctic and Antarctic regions high in the atmosphere, especially in winter. It is a large circulation of cold air around each pole.

The Full Story

The polar vortex is located around the Arctic in the Northern Hemisphere and around Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere, mainly in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. It becomes strongest in winter, when the temperature difference between the pole and lower latitudes increases. The vortex is not a storm itself but a broad area of swirling cold air and fast winds. When it weakens, cold air can sometimes spill southward into mid-latitudes.

Key Facts

1.Centered on both poles in winter
2.Mainly a stratospheric circulation
3.Can weaken and allow cold outbreaks

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The cold air system that can shove winter south"