On the 17th, AP science writer Seth Borenstein put it this way, “The vast majority of Americans are about to get an extended taste of frigid Siberian weather. Another polar vortex disruption will stretch Arctic air across the top of the globe…”

Indeed, it seems as if I’ve moved to the North Pole. It’s damn cold out there, coupled with winds that make it hurt all the more. And the fiercely low temps ensure that that Sunday’s snow isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and, between what cars and dogs leave behind, it’s getting ugly.

And yet…

I’m with Anamika Mishra’s “Winter is not a season but a celebration.” Quite simply, I love the snow globe look of it all, the quiet of it all.

On the other hand, USA Today’s Doyle Rice and John Bacon’s recent article about the Artic cold led with, “Winter is making its ugly presence felt across most of the nation Sunday as potent artic blast fueled some of the coldest temperatures so far this season…”

As The Old Farmer’s Almanac explains: “January often brings cold weather. Sometimes this is due to the polar vortex, which is a fast-flowing jet stream of air that circles the North Pole in the upper part of the Stratosphere about 20 miles above the Earth’s surface…”

About all that, Atmospheric and Environmental Research’s Dr. Judah Cohen explains that, “The theme of the winter of stretched polar vortex (PV) events in quick succession and seemingly in an endless loop of ‘lather, rinse, repeat’ continues with the PV alternating between a stretched PV and a relaxation to a more circular shape or a Canadian warming…”

A stretched PV?

As Artificial Intelligence explains it: “A ‘stretched polar vortex’ refers to a situation where the polar vortex, a large area of cold air spinning around the Arctic, becomes elongated or distorted, allowing cold air from the Arctic to move further south than usual, bringing significantly colder temperatures to mid-latitude regions like the United States; essentially, the cold air ‘spills out’ from the vortex due to its stretched shape, impacting weather patterns further away from the pole.”

Plus, Dr. Cohen says, ““I don’t see any reason why the weather ride of January 2025 should end as we head into February…”

Pretty to me, but ugly to a whole lot of other folks who don’t want to hear about soup, hot chocolate, and hunkering down with a book or movie. Ditto when it comes to bundling up for a long walk, making snow angels or a snowman.

Nevertheless, heading out there not only burn lots of calories, it also improves:

  • Mood
  • Sleep
  • Cardiovascular fitness, and

A win-win all around…

And to top it all off: comfort food!!

According to an informal survey, grilled cheese sandwiches came in at #1, a few folks coupling it with Campbell’s tomato soup. After that came:

  • Chicken noodle soup
  • Pizza
  • Spaghetti
  • Macaron and cheese
  • Meatloaf
  • Beef stew
  • Chili
  • Fried chicken
  • Ice cream (really!)

With thanks and stay warm wishes, Carol