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Frigid temperatures and high winds Friday could bring a snow squall to Bucks County as a polar vortex moves through the central and eastern United States.
Arctic winds will bring gusts of up to 25-35 mph and bring overnight lows in the teens Thursday into Friday, when temperatures will hit a high just below freezing and bring a chance of light snow showers, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
The chance of precipitation for most of the area is low, about 20%, but any accumulations should be less than an inch for most of the area on Friday, according to the NWS.
"The biggest weather story over the next several days will be the below average temperatures...especially for Thursday night and Friday," a Thursday morning NWS Facebook post reads. "We also do have a couple opportunities for a little bit of light snow but no big snowstorms are on the horizon at this time."
Snowfall is expected to be slightly heavier near the I-95 corridor while points north might not see any snow at all, the post adds.
The polar vortex this week is just the first of three expected to sweep through the country this month.
According to AccuWeather, as the leading edge of the Arctic air moves southward, areas of flurries, snow and larger snow squalls might accompany the front as it sweeps across the Great Lakes region and into the northern half of the Appalachians.
How does a polar vortex form?
The North Pole is covered by the polar vortex, a massive circular upper-air weather system in the Arctic. It's a normal pattern that tends to contain the coldest weather close to the North Pole and is stronger in the winter. A portion of the polar vortex may occasionally break off or drift south, bringing freezing weather to the U.S., Europe and Asia. Normally, the jet stream locks the vortex in and keeps it there.
Winter's chilly winds can make it feel much colder
As temperatures begin to dip, cold weather significantly increases the risk of frostbite, especially as temperatures drop toward or below freezing.
The National Weather Service uses computer modeling to "provide an accurate, understandable, and useful formula" to calculate wind chill. According to the NWS, the index calculates wind speed at five feet off the ground - the average height of an adult human face - while incorporating "heat transfer theory based on heat loss from the body to its surroundings."
The wind chill index is a guide to help us understand how dangerous low temperatures and strong winds can cause frostbite. To determine the wind chill temperature on the chart below, locate the relevant wind speed at the top and the outside temperature on the right; you will find wind-chill temperature where they meet:
Chris Ullery is a data reporter for the Bucks County Courier Times and The Intelligencer. You can reach him at [email protected].
Contributing: Doyle Rice/USA TODAY, Cailey Gleezon, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
SOURCE AccuWeather, National Weather Service and USA TODAY research