polar ice Archives - Disasters News

As a formidable polar vortex sweeps across the United States, millions of Americans brace for dangerously low temperatures and life-threatening conditions, marking the coldest weather of the season so far. This Arctic blast is set to engulf much of the country, with nighttime lows plummeting to -23°F (-31°C) in northern states and sub-zero wind chills predicted as far south as Texas and the Gulf Coast. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued urgent warnings about hypothermia, frostbite, and hazardous travel conditions due to snow and ice. Understanding the Polar Vortex The polar vortex is a large, low-pressure system of frigid air that typically circulates near the Earth's poles. During winter, this system can weaken and expand, displacing Arctic air into lower latitudes. This ...

A recent study highlights a lesser-known consequence of the climate crisis: the melting of polar ice caps is causing Earth to spin more slowly, increasing the length of days at an unprecedented rate. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the paper reveals how water flowing from Greenland and Antarctica is resulting in more mass around the equator, a phenomenon co-author Surendra Adhikari of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory likens to a figure skater extending their arms during a spin, slowing down their rotation. While Earth is often thought of as a sphere, it is more accurately described as an "oblate spheroid," bulging around the equator much like a satsuma. This shape is constantly changing due to various factors such as daily tides, tectonic plate movement...

Tag: polar ice

Polar Vortex Sparks Arctic Freeze Across US: Could Its Effects Reach India?

Climate Crisis and the Lengthening of Days: The Impact of Melting Polar Ice Caps