The Polar Misunderstanding

The Polar Misunderstanding

LANSING - Groans of disappointment and painstaking memories of a winter hastily forgotten will be abundant over the next two weeks as a summer cold spell moves down into the Great Lakes region from Canada.

Some news authorities are heralding the return of the "Polar Vortex", but this in fact is not the case. While yes, there is a cold front coming that will drop the temperatures about 10 to 20 degrees below their average for this time of year, the reality is that the weather that will eventually reach Michigan is a combination of two high altitude cold air pockets. One originated from the pacific northeast while the second did come down from the arctic. However the popular media term "Polar Vortex" is an inaccurate label for this particular cold spell.

According to the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, this type of weather is actually common for July.

"At this point in the summer of 2009 we recorded highs of 67 and 70 degrees, and a high of 58 degrees in 1987," said William Marino from the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids.

The real Polar Vortex is a large scale cyclone located high in the stratosphere above the North Pole, while the cold temperatures soon to reach mid-Michigan are a result of low atmosphere weather patterns.

The National Weather Service advises that there will be no real need for residents to change their daily routines to deal with the cold front. For example, plants and flowers should still be alright staying outdoors overnight.

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