Will the polar vortex freeze out MS soon? What about snow? Here’s the forecast
A blast of arctic air is set to impact much of the United States over the weekend as the polar vortex expands, according to a National Weather Service forecast.
As a result, many states across the Northeast and into the Midwest will experience unseasonably cold temperatures and heavy snow, the forecast shows.
But will the cold bring snow to the Mississippi Gulf Coast? Here’s what to know.
What is the polar vortex?
The polar vortex references an area of cold air and low pressure near the Earth’s poles that weakens during the summer and strengthens in the winter, according to the NWS.
“When we feel extremely cold air from the Arctic regions at Earth’s surface, it is sometimes associated with the polar vortex,” NWS experts said.
Will the polar vortex bring cold weather to MS?
The Mississippi Gulf Coast will likely experience “roller coaster” weather over the next couple of days as temperatures increase at the start of the weekend and drop Sunday night, National Weather Service Meteorologist Tyler Stanfield told the Sun Herald.
The Gulf Coast is expected to see temperatures near 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday and Saturday, according to a Dec. 10 NWS New Orleans post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
But the warmer weather won’t last too long, as temperatures are expected to drop close to freezing Sunday night and into Monday morning, Stanfield said. The area isn’t expected to see any unseasonably cold weather, like other parts of the country, he said.
“We do anticipate maybe another cold front coming through into next week, but as far as extreme, cold temperatures — or anything of that nature with that type of system — it’s really not anticipated for the Gulf Coast,” he said.
Mississippians may experience colder temperatures further away from the coast, Stanfield said.
