https://eos.org/articles/the-who-what-when-where-and-why-of-the-polar-vortex Source: By  Katherine Kornei , EosAGU.  Excerpt: The polar vortex is a media darling. Headlines frequently announce that it’s  coming ,  collapsing , or  splitting , and articles often tout its role in  record-setting winter storms . But misconceptions about this atmospheric phenomenon abound, and scientists are still untangling its effects on our weather. ...“circumpolar vortex,” typically refers to a swirling mass of air at far northern or southern latitudes. “It’s a region of high wind speed that encircles the pole,”.... ...recent decreases in Arctic sea ice cover—triggered by climate change—have been  linked to a more unstable stratospheric polar vortex ....