The recent severe Arctic outbreak that enveloped nearly the entire country has been attributed to the “Polar Vortex,” which is a swirling area of low pressure near the North Pole.
We just experienced the coldest outbreak in nearly 20 years, from the Rockies to the Atlantic coast south to the Gulf coast, including Florida.
Pipes burst, electrical and phone service was interrupted, schools were closed in several northern states due to extreme cold and heavy snow, and new low temperatures were recorded in more than 35 states.
Is this now going to be the new norm for winter, or was this Arctic outbreak a “100 year event”? With so many variables involved in climate change, who can accurately predict whether there will be more Polar Vortexes coming down from the North Pole? If there are, we are going to be in a lot of trouble.
The brutal cold could effectively bring every day activities to a sudden and screeching halt. Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with, as we have seen many times, especialyy in the last several years.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
