Because of the pressure difference between the Arctic and mid-latitudes, air flows into low pressure and this confines the cold air to high latitudes closer to the Arctic. Attiguppe , Bengaluru - 560040. At its strongest, the accumulated cold air descends into the polar regions of North America and Europe. Polar vortex is formed by low pressure that occurs in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The nitric acid in the stratospheric clouds reacts with chlorofluorocarbons to form chlorine which further accelerates the destruction of the ozone layer. Formation of polar vortex involves the accumulation of extremely cold air inside a ring of extremely strong westerly winds, also known as the Polar Night Jet. A late breakup period will lead to two warming periods, one in January and one in March. The polar vortex spins in the stratosphere, a layer of the atmosphere 10-48 km above the ground and above the troposphere, where most familiar weather patterns develop. Today, Insights is synonymous with UPSC civil services exam preparation. Required fields are marked *, Request OTP on ; The polar vortex in the Arctic is typically weaker due to the presence of nearby land as well as mountain ranges that disturb the weather more so than its counterpart to the south. When this happens, the stratosphere warms sharply in an event known as sudden stratospheric warming, in just a few days, miles above the Earth’s surface. For Prelims and Mains: What is Polar Vortex and its effects on weather patterns. On 2 nd March, Climatology Part-II began. The Antarctic polar vortex is far more persistent than the Arctic variant. Here we will study Polar vortex (circumpolar vortex) which is a polar cyclone. The polar vortex spins in the stratosphere, a layer of the atmosphere 10-48 km above the ground and above the troposphere, where most familiar weather patterns develop. From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : Prelims level : Ozone, Polar Vortex. Context: Weather experts are predicting an extremely cold January and February for the northeastern United States, much of northern Europe and parts of Asia. Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes. In other words, it forms a wall that protects the mid-latitudes from cold Arctic air. Glenview Patch. Above Village Hyper Market, Chandralyout Main Road, The term "vortex" refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles. Polar Vortex, Ozone Depletion, Polar Stratospheric Clouds UPSC Video | EduRev video for UPSC is made by best teachers who have written some of the best books of UPSC. 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