MAINE PUBLIC • December 4, 2025
The bitter cold temperatures and wind chills Thursday night into Friday are the result of a disruption in the polar vortex, according the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The polar vortex is located in the stratosphere about 30 miles above the Earth. A sudden stratospheric warming broke the polar vortex on November 28. At the same time, a large high pressure ridge over Alaska is driving Arctic air down into northern states including Maine. Dr. Amy Butler, Research Scientist for NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory, said we're likely to see bigger impacts from the polar vortex disruption in the next week or two.