Chill out, Midwest. Record low temperatures are coming your way in a matter of days, dropping into as low as the 50s and 40s.
What's causing this drop? Many are calling it another — wait for it — polar vortex.
"On the flip side we are talking about a polar vortex, a summer version of the polar vortex." (via KVEO)
Yes, a summertime polar vortex. In January, the headline-making polar vortex sent a large mass of cold air that caused brutally cold temperatures in the Midwest. Bit many experts point out that this cool down is actually caused by something else.
"Remember that super typhoon Neoguri? That got caught up and it's a big giant trough that's coming out of Hudson Bay in Canada and that will continue to spread on south." (via KDVR)
The typhoon is generating cool air by causing dips in the jet stream. According to The Weather Channel, this can be more accurately described as a circumpolar vortex. The difference?
"The polar vortex is a three dimensional circulation extending from right around the jet stream level, even a little bit below, to way high into the atmosphere, tens of thousands of feet above the jet stream level."
A circumpolar vortex, on the other hand, exists mainly in the lower atmosphere.
AccuWeather reports the lower temperatures could bring a chance of severe weather. Some states may experience severe thunderstorms along with hail and damaging winds.
