The "polar vortex" talk becomes really popular each year. It usually doesn't start to surface until the winter season, but this season the eastern U.S. is getting a shot of frigid air as this infamous polar vortex dips south, opening Nature's refrigerator door allowing the temperatures to dive into the low 20s for Columbia, the upper 20s for Greenville and with the winds temperatures will feel even colder on Veterans' Day morning.
The polar vortex is a large and very cold area of low pressure that surrounds the poles. It always exists, but it becomes stronger and more defined during the winter months. The stratosphere, where this vortex exists, lies above the troposphere, where our day-to-day weather occurs.
These low-pressure systems are located over the poles — here, the North Pole — and keep the coldest air confined. But at times, the central polar vortex weakens, allowing other polar vortices or low-pressure systems to form. Sometimes break off completely, like an upper-level low, and there are times that smaller ondulations bulge out of the central polar vortex.
When a polar vortex breaks or weakens, the land below it is inundated with frigid air, and sometimes this can last for several days; often, these cold temperatures break records. These storms can bring heavy snow before the coldest air breaks through, as well as windy conditions. Winter precipitation could disrupt roads, and temperatures and winds can cause problems for airports and energy grids, as well as pose many health risks, including deaths.
Forecast: South Carolina.
Get ready for a temperature rollercoaster between this weekend and early next week. Frigid air will plunge south as the polar vortex weakens, bringing cold temperatures for the time of year.
Sunday's highs will be around 7 degrees above normal for this time of year in many places in the Midlands, like Columbia, where they'll stay in the upper 70s. But by Tuesday morning, lows will dip to the upper 20s, which will be around 15 degrees below average for this time of year, and we could even beat the previous record established in 1913 of 26°F. The afternoon will also remain cold, and likely breezy, with a high around 52 degrees, likely not breaking the record coldest high for that day of 45°F in 1913.
We will bring you a detailed forecast for the temperature plunge later this week as we fine-tune the details.