A unique weather phenomenon could bring extreme conditions to Edinburgh within the coming weeks, according to the Met Office.
The same cause of 2018’s Beast from the East, this polar vortex could arrive in the middle of February. Met Office forecasters have said the high-altitude polar vortex winds, which spin around the North Pole and keep cold air trapped in the Arctic, are forecast to weaken this week.
A knock-on effect of this weakens the jet stream, which would usually bring Scotland mild westerly Atlantic breezes, meaning Arctic air will make its way to Scotland two weeks later. Freezing temperatures could plunge below -10C, with snow likely in many regions.
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The Met Office also said there is a 25 per cent chance of the Polar Vortex weakening to the point of an extremely rare occurrence known as a Sudden Stratospheric Warming. This sees the North Pole’s air suddenly warm up, which sends an even more extreme level of polar air towards the UK.
If this should happen, it would be the first in two years. In January 2021, it caused Britain’s coldest temperature for 26 years - with lows of -23C recorded in Aberdeenshire.
The Met Office said: “Changes in the Polar Vortex affect the strength of the jet stream and whether we get milder or colder winter weather.
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“A weaker jet stream allows more frequent northerly or easterly winds to affect the UK, bringing cold air from the Arctic and continental Europe. There’s certainly a weakening of the Polar Vortex as we go through next week.
“The chances of a Sudden Stratospheric Warming is currently 20 or 25 per cent. This was responsible for the easterly winds in 2018 that brought us significant snowfall.
“The most likely scenario at this stage is for the Polar Vortex to weaken, but computer models show an SSW is at least a possibility.”
The good news, for some, is snow-starved ski resorts in the Alpines will finally get a covering of proper snow - with many Scots heading there for February half term. Many resorts had been relying on artificial snow since the start of the season.
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