🔺   Weather forecasting is a non-perfect science

🔺    Meteorologists go through extensive training

🔺   Get ready for the cold weather

 

Get ready for a cold week.

It's going to be bone-chilling cold.

Meteorologists say that the weather we are about to experience is called the Polar Vortex Effect.

Now, to be totally honest, I never heard of that term until a few years ago.

According to the National Weather Service, a Polar Vortex is defined as,

 The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles.  The term "vortex" refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. Many times during winter in the northern hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, sending cold air southward with the jet stream.  This occurs fairly regularly during wintertime and is often associated with large outbreaks of Arctic air in the United States.

In layman's terms, it's cold enough to freeze your begonias off.

Okay, so we hear that it's going to be cold.

Or, we are told to prepare for snow, rain, or some other weather conditions that we need to be aware of.

We may hear a Dan Zarrow forecast and take him at his word.

Credit: NJ101.5
Credit: NJ101.5
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But have you ever wondered how HE  knows what the weather is going to be like?

You might be surprised to learn that there's a great deal of work that goes into determining the weather forecast.

No, that work doesn't involve a Ouji board or a Magic Eight Ball.

Denver Post via Getty Images
Denver Post via Getty Images
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Before he began predicting weather here in New Jersey, he was a TV meteorologist in Oklahoma, Central New York.

He's also done research and programming work for the Northeast Regional Climate Center and NJ State Climate Office.

Now, for the first time, we pull open the curtains and explain how Dan Zarrow can predict the weather for those of us in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Let it snow: 12 things to know about winter forecasting in NJ

Gallery Credit: Dan Zarrow

Final flakes: When does snow season end in NJ?

Gallery Credit: Dan Zarrow

 

 

 

 

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