Abnormal weather events and severe winter storms could be caused by a disrupted polar vortex. Find out here how the polar vortex affects the weather.

A historic winter storm is poised to produce potentially record-breaking snows from coastal Texas to northern Florida late Monday into Tuesday. The event comes as an Arctic blast affects more than half the U.

State Climatologist Jay Grymes said there could be lows of 20 degrees across the state between Monday and Wednesday and the National Weather Service (NWS) has said Baton Rouge could see its first snowfall in seven years. Newsweek has contacted the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for comment.

Some areas of the U.S. may see temperatures as low as -20 or -30 degrees early next week as arctic air from Siberia rolls in.

A polar vortex is currently hitting the United States, with schools closed in many areas and at least four deaths caused by treacherous conditions.

Very cold arctic air will interact with several systems to bring chances of freezing rain, sleet, and snow

Residents across the country from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine are bracing for dangerously low temperatures as tens of millions of residents along the East Coast contend

The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around ... More than 50,000 customers were without power on Wednesday in Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Virginia and West Virginia, according ...

The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around ... More than 50,000 customers were without power on Wednesday in Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Virginia and West Virginia, according ...

A rare winter storm is getting set to slam the Gulf Coast and South, with cities from Texas to Florida under Winter Storm Warnings.

BOSTON — Residents across the country from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine are bracing for dangerously low temperatures as tens of millions of residents along the East Coast contend with a thick blanket of snow — and more snowfall in the forecast.

According to the NWS, the Arctic polar vortex is a powerful band of west-to-east winds that develops in the stratosphere, about 10 to 30 miles above the North Pole, during the winter season. It is always present near the poles, though it weakens during summer and intensifies in winter.