January witnessed severe storms, temperature swings, and even tornadoes, making it a tumultuous month weather-wise.
The Arctic cold gripped 30 states, triggering alerts for dangerously low temperatures and wind chills.
Readings dropped to -16 in Kansas City, 1 degree in Oklahoma City, -10 in Chicago, and -27 in Bismarck, N.D.
After a frigid weekend, temperatures are set to spike 30 to 40 degrees, inducing a thaw in several regions.
The jury is still out on the weather's future, with a significant role assigned to the unpredictable polar vortex.
Two polar vortexes exist in the Northern Hemisphere, impacting weather patterns in the troposphere and stratosphere.
A recent subtle disruption to the polar vortex occurred in the lower stratosphere, affecting North American weather.
While minor stratospheric disruptions typically don't impact surface weather, the recent event was exceptional.
Meteorologists anticipate the disruption's impact on a stronger disturbance higher up in the atmosphere.
Forecast models project changes in the Arctic Oscillation, affecting the strength of the polar vortex, and potential East Coast snowfall in February.
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