Image caption
Atmospheric thickness (geopotential height of the 10-millibar pressure level) showing the polar vortex on January 1, 2024 (left), and the forecast for its shape and location on January 14 (right). When the polar vortex is shifted or stretched out off the pole to lower latitudes, it can sometimes help reinforce wintry weather outbreaks. NOAA Climate.gov image, based on Global Forecast System analysis and forecasts.