Monday, November 9, 2026 Morning Edition Story Atlas Storylines Almanac Verification Desk Archive
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Storyline · concluded · Season thread

Polar Vortex Watch 2024–25

Every dispatch on this road this season, in order: the thread a daily newsletter leaves behind when you read it end to end.

6Dispatches
37Days · JAN 16–FEB 21
I-10Stratosphere
Where the dispatches were filed6 of 6 placed
Map of North America and the Atlantic with a shield at each dispatch's place Natural Earth · places from the headlines
Yes, this is the Polar Vortex FIGURE 1 JAN 16 · I-10 STRATOSPHERE Yes, this is the Polar Vortex
The route · every exit
  1. Exit 1 · JAN 16 Yes, this is the Polar Vortex Arctic stratosphere
  2. Exit 2 · JAN 17 · Subscribers Nice blanket of snowfall for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast prior to Polar Vortex Arctic stratosphere
  3. Exit 3 · FEB 12 · Subscribers Extreme cold from Polar Vortex events next week Arctic stratosphere
  4. Exit 4 · FEB 13 · Subscribers Potential Record Cold from Polar Vortex Next Week Arctic stratosphere
  5. Exit 5 · FEB 19 · Subscribers Warmer next week but polar vortex looms large Arctic stratosphere
  6. Exit 6 · FEB 21 · Subscribers Watching the polar vortex spin in Canada for the next 2-weeks Arctic stratosphere
END Final dispatch FEB 21.

Why I-10?

Stratosphere stories ride Interstate 10, after the 10 hPa level where the polar vortex is measured, some 30 kilometres up.

Polar vortex

The band of strong westerly winds circling the Arctic in the stratosphere through the cold season.

Sudden stratospheric warming

A rapid rise in polar stratospheric temperature as the vortex weakens, splits or is displaced.

10 hPa

A pressure level about 30 km up, the standard height for measuring the vortex; the shield number of this road.