Texas Polar Vortex Forecast: Winter Freeze to Strike Parts of State

Parts of Texas are likely to be hit with unusually cold temperatures as a polar vortex looks set to push frigid winds across the country. Why It Matters Some forecast models have suggested lobes of the polar vortex’s frigid airs could push far into the southern United States. With Texas being one of the most populous U.S. states, the prospect of colder than usual temperatures would be unwelcome news for many. What To Know In its latest forecast for the period of January 7 to January 13, the National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center warned that “an Arctic Outbreak is forecast to spread from the Northern Plains to the south and east, leading to exceptionally high probabilities of below-normal temperatures expected across much of the East.” It said this period could see the coldest air of the season to date, as well as dangerous wind chills likely across much of the Southeast. Below freezing temperatures are possible as far south as the Gulf Coast, it said. pic.twitter.com/TmeiACrRC0 — NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) December 30, 2024 East Texas was most likely to see below-average temperatures, with an 80-90 percent probability, according to the NWS. But colder temperatures were also possible throughout the Lone Star State, the NWS’ data showed. Even in West Texas, there was a chance for cooler than usual temperatures. According to the NWS, the Arctic polar vortex is a powerful band of west-to-east winds that develops in the stratosphere, about 10 to 30 miles above the North Pole, during the winter season. It is always present near the poles, though it weakens during summer and intensifies in winter. During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the polar vortex often expands, pushing cold air southward along with the jet stream, the service said. “This occurs fairly regularly during wintertime and is often associated with large outbreaks of Arctic air in the United States,” the NWS said on its website. Texas, along with much of the rest of the country, was hit with freezing temperatures related to the polar vortex in 2021, with winter storms leaving millions without power. What People Are Saying Meteorologist Pete Delkus teased on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: “I’m thinking about shearing off a lobe of the Polar Vortex and dropping it on Texas the week of January 6th! “But I haven’t made up my mind,” he added. What Happens Next Currently, forecast models expect cold air to be pushed throughout much of the U.S. from early to mid-January. Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about this article? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com