Activity in an Arctic climate pattern could send the polar vortex barreling towards more southern latitudes to envelop parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. The phenomenon has led to extreme winter weather in recent years, including record low temperatures in the US back in 2014 and last year's 'Beast from the East' in the UK. While there's still time for things to change, the models currently suggest a split in the high-altitude polar vortex will ring in the New Year, creating the potential for 'more severe winter weather' in the Eastern US in the weeks to follow.