A destabilised weather pattern has pushed the polar vortex high above Antarctica off course, pushing freezing winds across southern Australia. When will it end?
High above Antarctica, a polar vortex swirls. When it’s in robust shape, its icy winds swirl in a circular pattern, keeping a ring of freezing weather contained above the frozen continent.
As its circular pattern slackens, its edges have pushed into southern Australia, creating icy conditions and freezing winds. Climate scientist Dr Martin Jucker from the University of NSW said recent warming near the earth’s surface had pushed warmer air vertically into the stratosphere – to an altitude of about 30 kilometres – above Antarctica.
However, Jucker said, scientists were yet to establish a link between an SSW and climate change. “Something needs to create those disturbances at the surface first, and that might be impacted by climate change – we don’t know.”The destabilised polar vortex was this week causing unsettled weather over Western Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Michael Efron said.Melbournians braved the cold as the city woke to a foggy and freezing morning on Thursday.
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