Hiyah Zaidi
Published November 24, 2025 1:54pm
Updated November 24, 2025 1:54pm
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The Earth’s polar vortex is being disrupted by an event which will bring extreme temperatures down to Canada in just a few weeks, a report by The Weather Network reveals. It predicts that the rare stratospheric warming event could shake up the last few weeks of 2025, as well as early 2026. So, what’s happening? (Picture: Getty)
The report reveals that the polar vortex has some of the northern hemisphere’s coldest air, which is wrapped around the North Pole. They explain that when the polar vortex is strong, with strong winds and jet streams around it, it can be contained around the poles, but when the polar vortex is weak, the winds are not enough to hold it at the poles, and displaces the extreme temperatures down to Canada. (Picture: Getty)
It states that just a couple of weeks ago, the polar vortex was healthy, symmetric, and tightly spinning over the Far North but now the temperatures are forecast to surge more than 30°C above normal, which helps to build a powerful, high-pressure ridge. The report says that only three November sudden stratospheric warmings (SSW) have been documented in the last 70 years, but the cold temperatures could reach all the way to the Atlantic coast. (Picture: Getty)
Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network, spoke to Now Toronto and said: ‘What is already happening is a sudden stratospheric warming event. What that means is the temperatures are spiking, especially over places like Alaska and over the North Pole, and what that contributes to is a disruption in the atmosphere. What we’re looking at is the polar vortex weakening and also displacing. So, what that means is we could see the polar vortex making more of a trajectory towards Canadians, especially as we head into December.’ (Picture: Getty)
Modestino says that this year this sudden warming event is making the colder temperatures hit earlier, and these temperatures could dip '10 to 15 degrees below seasonal' across Western Canada before the cold air spreads all the way east. These polar vortex displacements usually bring extreme cold temperatures to Canada from coast to coast. In cities such as Ontario, the relatively warmer waters from the Great Lakes help moderate the arctic air and help keep the temperatures down from reaching such extreme levels. (Picture: Getty)
However, the report says that it is almost certain that Ontario will feel the chilling event but it is too early to know how long the colder temperature will last, which could be for most of December. The event could bring active weather such as a lot of rain or snowfall. (Picture: Getty)
The Weather Network is releasing its full winter forecast on Wednesday (November 26), which will include more about the polar vortex and its impacts. Modestino said: ‘We’ve already seen our first snow event across the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), and we will likely see more of this, more of those events throughout this winter month, especially because since we are predicting these colder air outbreaks across the Great Lakes, we will be looking at some snowy snow belts this year as well.’ (Picture: Getty)
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