A previous polar vortex disruption contributed to the Great Texas Freeze in 2021. This time, the ongoing “super” El Niño might offset some of the collapse’s influence

November 6, 2026 10:00 a.m.

Polar vortex in 2019 NASA / JPL-Caltech AIRS Project

Something strange is happening in the skies above the Arctic: the polar vortex is collapsing unusually early.

The polar vortex is a ring of westerly winds that forms about 10 to 30 miles above the Earth’s surface, which generally keeps the coldest air sequestered around the North Pole. It usually reaches its peak intensity in December and January and weakens later in the season.

This year, however, it’s already showing signs of disruption. Forecasts suggest that the polar vortex could collapse within the next week, report Joe Wertz and Mary Hui at Bloomberg .…