"Unraveling the Mystery of the Backward-Spinning Arctic Polar Vortex"

The Arctic's polar vortex has been spinning backwards since March 4, a rare event caused by sudden stratospheric warming and an increase in polar ozone. This reversal, one of the six strongest since 1979, has not led to extreme cold or storms. The polar vortex, a region of circulating winds that confines cold air to the polar regions, can cause major weather events when disrupted. The reversal was caused by sudden atmospheric warming from planetary waves. The winds are expected to slow down by the end of March, leading to a resumption of westerly winds.