Polar vortex comes back next week

“Polar vortex” — two words that sent Chicago-area residents hiding under the blankets last winter — might creep back into the weather forecast next week as low temperatures are predicted to hit, and stay for most of the week.

“The atmosphere is preparing to send part of the polar vortex southward toward the United States next week with an outbreak of arctic air and lake-effect snow,” according to a release from Accuweather.com.

“The worst of the cold will be felt from Fargo, North Dakota, and Minneapolis to Chicago and St. Louis beginning on Tuesday and continuing through the middle and latter part of the week.”

It's all because of Typhoon Nuri, which is curving east of Asia and sending strong jet stream winds across North America, according to the National Weather Service.

“Current indications are that by Tuesday next week, the heart of this polar air mass will have arrived in the Chicago area,” according to the National Weather Service website, “leaving our region in the icy grips of an early season cold snap through at least the remainder of next week. Current indications are that high temperatures will reach only the 30s while nighttime lows dip into the teens and 20s.”