[News Today] “Another severe cold snap to hit Korea”

[LEAD]
Last month's record cold, felt across Korea and much of the Northern Hemisphere, has been traced to a surge of Arctic air.
Meteorologists warn that similar conditions could return later this month as instability in the polar vortex continues.

[REPORT]
The unusually long and severe cold spell wasn't confined to only Korea.

Wind chill factor plunged to minus thirty degrees Celsius even in the southern region of the United States where temperatures rarely drop below zero.

Snow piled up as high as two meters after a snow storm in Japan.

A satellite image shows that a blanket of cold air above the northern hemisphere has covered North America and East Asia.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said this cold wave was pushed down from the North Pole.

The weather agency explained that the Arctic polar vortex, which spins rapidly and encloses a large pool of cold air above the North Pole, has weakened.

This means that a dam that had blocked off the extremely cold air broke, causing the cold front to flow down to the mid-latitudes where Korea is situated.

The cold spell has eased this month.

But weather forecasters warn that another cold snap would hit the nation around mid-February.

The Arctic polar vortex is forecast to waver one more time.

This phenomenon is termed 'sudden stratospheric warming.'

Prof. Song In-sun/ Yonsei Univ.
When sudden stratospheric warming occurs, another cold spell would be formed again near Korea in late Feb.
It takes over a week for the effect to reach Korea.

The long-lasting cold northwesterly winds caused Korea to see record low humidity last month.

The KMA projected that this month's precipitation would be similar to or lower than average, raising concerns for extended dry weather.

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