On the heels of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) announcement that 2023 was the warmest year on record, most of the U.S. experienced a blast of extremely cold air, much of it record-setting. These frigid temperatures may seem like the antithesis of global warming but they are also a result of a hotter planet.
It’s estimated that 70 percent of the U.S. population experienced this recent frigid weather in cities across the country. Last week’s temperatures most impacted the central plains; for example, Monticello, Kentucky, saw a low of minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit and minus 18 degrees in Kremmling, Colorado. The cold impacted locations as far south as Alabama, where some locations saw overnight low temperatures near zero, breaking nearly 50-year-old records.
The extreme cold made a significant impact on people, and in addition to frozen pipes and black ice on the highways, the cold made itself known in some unusual ways. In Kansas City, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ helmet cracked in sub-zero temperatures during a recent playoff game and Tesla car owners struggled to get the lithium batteries to charge in the extreme cold in places like Chicago. More seriously, 72 deaths have been reported in the past week, both as a result of the extreme cold and other winter weather across the nation.
So why have we experienced extremely cold temperatures when the Earth is about two degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it was a century ago? Recent research has confirmed a connection between the warming Arctic waters and cold spells happening deep into the United States. The rapidly warming Arctic weakens the jet stream, allowing the frigid polar air to travel farther south. In the case of this most recent cold spell, the high snowfall near Siberia helped set up a thermal contrast, driving the polar jet stream even further south.
This month’s polar vortex event is very similar to the 2021 event that created chaos in Texas with its unprecedented temperatures. Research supports the fact that climate change has increased the likelihood of polar vortex events like these. The rapid warming in the Arctic fuels the weather patterns that result in these polar vortex events that push south. While the frequency of extreme cold events may be less, the intensity of these events is not decreasing at the same rate.
Coupled with the impact of this year’s El Niño, many regions of the country are seeing active winter weather with frigid temperatures coupled with major snowstorms, creating more challenges for major sporting events, supply chains, and road crews. In particular, the eastern seaboard may continue to see above-average snowfall as the weakening El Niño brings more precipitation to the East Coast during the late winter.
The U.S. can expect to see more of these severe cold events in the future, so vigilant planning and preparations in many regions must continue so businesses, municipalities, and the public are prepared when it does occur. Through continued research, we’ll better understand the relationship between the Arctic surface conditions and the polar vortex so we can continue to improve our ability to make informed decisions and prepare appropriately for this extreme weather.
