The Difference Between: Polar Vortex & Arctic Vortex ... Julep Wants To Know

 Julep asked me an interesting question which I couldn't explain

... so off to Wikipedia I went to read her the answer.  I know Julep [as well

as Derby] are thankful their fur is longer than normal ... 

'cause baby it's another freezing cold type of vortex day outside!

POLAR VORTEX 

A polar vortex (also known as a polar cyclone, polar low, or a circumpolar whirl)

is a persistent, large-scale cyclone located near either of a planet's geographical poles.

On Earth, the polar vortices are located in the middle and upper troposphere and the stratosphere.

They surround the polar highs and lie in the wake of the polar front.

These cold-core low-pressure areas strengthen in the winter and weaken in the summer

due to their reliance upon the temperature differential between the equator and the poles.

They usually span less than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in which the

air circulates in a counter-clockwise fashion (in the Northern Hemisphere).

As with other cyclones, their rotation is caused by the Coriolis effect.

 ARCTIC VORTEX

The Arctic vortex in the Northern Hemisphere has two centers, one near Baffin Island

 and the other over northeast Siberia. The Antarctic vortex in the Southern Hemisphere

 tends to be located near the edge of the Ross ice shelf near 160 west longitude.

When the polar vortex is strong, the Westerlies increase in strength. 

When the polar cyclone is weak, the general flow pattern across mid-latitudes 

buckles and significant cold outbreaks occur. Ozone depletion occurs within the 

polar vortex, particularly over the Southern Hemisphere, and reaches a maximum in the spring.

For additional information:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_vortex

 So while the vortex is doing what vortexes do

 I'm staying inside and 'nesting' with my sewing machine.

All this cold puts me in a flannel mood ... so I pulled out one

of the two bolts of the 'dogs in coat' flannel for pillow cases. 

 I won't have time to make a Valentine's Day theme anything

this year so "Surrounded by Love" will be stored for next year.

Sorting the stack of newly purchased fabric.

 Reading the 'vortex' information was so boring it put Julep & Derby to sleep!

Keep warm ~ Be safe ~ Think spring!