Expert warns of another episode of the phenomenon in the second half of February
The United States continues to face the worst snowfall in history. The winter storm caused at least 30 deaths, left around a million people without power and caused the cancellation of thousands of flights.
According to Maria Clara Sassaki, meteorology specialist at ‘Tempo OK’, the tendency is for the intensity of the snowfall to decrease in the coming days. However, on Sunday (1st), low atmospheric pressure on the west coast of the United States is expected to cause rain and strong gusts of wind. Furthermore, temperatures will remain low.
The warning, however, goes further. The expert emphasizes that there is a possibility for a similar episode in February. “We will have a new configuration of the polar vortex passing through once again. Taking over southern areas of the United States, in a configuration very similar to the one that is happening now. It could happen again from the second week of February.”
What has caused the storm?
The atypical scenario is explained by a phenomenon called polar vortex, which is nothing more than a large and very cold mass of polar air. It operates in the Arctic and, in this case, was detached from the region, being transported by lower winds to other areas. The phenomenon affected not only the north of the United States, but also states further south in the country.
In the northeast of the United States, temperatures reached -30°C, with a wind chill of -45°C. Faced with the intense cold, local authorities have warned of the risk of death from hypothermia.
