A temperature outlook from the National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center shows a chance of below-average temperatures for the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and part of the Northeast as a major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) disrupts the polar vortex.

Why It Matters

Forecasters are monitoring the phenomenon, which is occurring much earlier than normal, a rare event that is expected to significantly disrupt the polar vortex in late November or early December. Such events can shift weather patterns across the United States by destabilizing the polar vortex high above the North Pole, potentially allowing frigid Arctic air to surge into North America.

What to Know

The most recent eight-to-14-day temperature outlook from the NWS Climate Prediction Center

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