Polar vortex

Okay kiddo, so you know when you see snow and ice outside, it's really cold, right? Well sometimes, the cold air gets so cold that it forms a big circle around the North Pole. That circle of cold air is called the "polar vortex".

So imagine you have a big bowl and a little ball in the middle of the bowl. That little ball is like the North Pole and the bowl is like the Earth's atmosphere. The polar vortex is like a big, swirling mass of cold air that's spinning around the little ball in the middle.

When the polar vortex stays up there, it's not a problem. But sometimes, it can move down towards places where people live, and that makes it really cold outside. So when you hear people say it's a "polar vortex," they mean it's getting really cold because the cold air is moving south.

But don't worry, you can still have fun outside when it's cold as long as you bundle up in warm clothes and stay safe!