Polar Vortex 2024 Newspaper. The polar vortex, a swirling mass of cold air circling the arctic, has unexpectedly reversed its direction. With strong pressure anomalies around the northern hemisphere, we are currently observing an unusually weak polar vortex in the stratosphere above the north pole.

With a stratospheric warming event expected to develop, we currently see a rapid breakdown. It is strengthening slower than usual this year, which could have weather.