A new Polar Vortex, the huge system of cold winds that form in the stratosphere above the North Pole, begins to outline and could significantly influence the winter 2025/2026 in Europe.
The satellite data show that temperatures and pressure in the Arctic area have already begun to decrease, a sign of the formation of this phenomenon. The polar vortex is carefully monitored by meteorologists, because the way it evolves can make the difference between a gentle winter and one with severe cold and abundant snow
The polar vortex appears every autumn, with the cooling of the North Pole. Then a “collar” of strong winds at high altitude is created which, when it is stable and strong, holds the cold air stuck in the Arctic area.
If the vortex weakens or breaks, cold air masses can descend to lower latitudes, causing hard winter episodes in Europe.
Signs that a hectic winter is coming
According to meteorologists, this year the polar vortex is formed weaker than the average. In addition, two important factors could destabilize it in the following months:
La Niña, a climatic phenomenon that affects the temperatures of the Pacific Ocean and has more cold winters in the northern hemisphere;
Negative QBO, a change in the direction of the winds in the stratosphere, which also favors an unstable vortex.
Such conditions increase the probability of producing a “sudden stratospheric heating event” – a phenomenon in which the vortex breaks, and the Arctic air descends to Europe.
