Arctic sudden stratospheric warming event is earliest on record
The gist
A sudden stratospheric warming event is unfolding over the Arctic, the earliest on record since the late 1950s.
Forecasters say it could reshape the polar vortex, but U.S. cold impacts remain uncertain.
How it unfolded
- Oct 30, 2026Forecast models indicated a dramatic weakening, and possibly a temporary reversal, of Arctic high-altitude winds in the first half of November, weeks earlier than typical.
- Oct 30, 2026Meteorologist Laura Ciasto said the vortex disruption could occur within a week to 10 days, with lower-latitude impacts possible in the second or third week of November.
- Nov 2, 2026A sudden stratospheric warming event was unfolding over the Arctic, the earliest on record; the previous record came about two weeks later in 2009.