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Warming in the Arctic is related to the extreme cold in the U.S. winter
New research has found that more and more extreme cold and severe winter weather in parts of the United States is related to accelerated warming in the polar regions.
Scientists have discovered that the warming of the polar regions will eventually disrupt a form of air flow called “Polar Vortex” (Polar Vortex, or Polar Vortex).
In this way, cold air with low temperatures in winter can flow down to the United States, such as the cold current that occurred in Texas in February 2021.
Researchers say that the warming of the polar regions will cause winters in some areas to become colder, rather than hotter.
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Rare extreme cold broke out in Texas, people lined up to buy necessities
Over the past 40 years, satellite images have shown that global warming has had a profound impact on the polar regions.
The warming phenomenon in the polar regions is more pronounced than in other parts of the earth, and it has also caused accelerated melting of sea ice and reduced ice cover.
For a long time, scientists have been hoping to understand the consequences of more severe warming in the polar regions on other parts of the earth.
Now, new research shows that the warming of the polar regions has a very significant impact on the winter climate in North America and East Asia.
The researchers said that the warmer regions mentioned above and the surrounding pattern of the “polar vortex” cold air are connected to each other, forming a very complicated meteorological chain reaction.
The melting of sea ice in the Barents Sea and Kara Sea has caused increased snowfall in Siberia and affected the air flow in the stratosphere over the Arctic. The warm air eventually caused the polar vortex to extend, which in turn sent the cold weather down to the United States.
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U.S. Texas has been hit by a rare cold current, and many facilities such as petrol, electric heating, etc. have been shut down
Since satellite observations began in 1979, the polar vortex has extended more and more times. Scientists believe that the cold snap in Texas in February 2021 was caused by this.
Dr. Judah Cohen, the research leader and professor of atmospheric environment research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said, “We believe that the melting of sea ice in the northwest of Eurasia has increased the snowfall in Siberia, which has led to a widening of the temperature gap between east and west of Eurasia. .”
“We know that once the temperature gap increases, it will disrupt the airflow surrounding the polar vortex. As a result, more and more severe winters will occur, just like the rare and life-threatening cold in Texas in February.”
The researchers said that they arrived at the results based on observations and model analysis, and they were able to show the actual connection between Arctic climate change and polar vortices as well as ground weather changes.
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Arctic sea ice is melting faster and faster
Researchers believe that their research can improve weather forecasts for extreme cold weather.
“One of the benefits of this research is that if you understand these signs and know which conditions will cause which weather patterns to occur, then you can strengthen the forecast accuracy of weather forecasts and predict the time in advance.”
“If there is another cold snap like Texas, we will not be caught off guard, and people will have earlier warnings and better preparations to avoid freezing to death at home.”
Researchers also hope that the new findings will enable people to better understand the complexity of global warming, and decipher some people’s misconceptions that “the winter is getting colder and colder, and there is no climate warming.”