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Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Catherine Addison-Swan

Met Office issues update on 'major' weather incident and likelihood of new Beast from the East

The UK could be in for some "changeable" weather towards the end of this month as a major weather incident unfolds, the Met Office has confirmed.

Experts have explained that the Polar Vortex has now recovered after a minor Sudden Stratospheric Warming in January. The Polar Vortex is a circulation of winds up to 30 miles above the Earth, and its strength impacts the jet stream - a fast-moving ribbon of air around six miles above the earth, which drives weather systems towards the UK from the Atlantic.

Sometimes the Polar Vortex can break down altogether, which is known as a Sudden Stratospheric Warming and has been linked to many cold snaps in recent years, including 2018's infamous 'Beast from the East'. The latest forecasts show that another "major" Sudden Stratospheric Warming is now likely to take place from mid-February.

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