A few cold days heading to the U.P.

The polar vortex is a meteorological phenomenon that took on a new and foreboding meaning this past winter. However, the vortex itself is nothing new. It’s an area of low pressure over the North Pole where very cold air circulates. On occasion, parts of this mass can break off and head southward.

With a big mass of cold air making its way from Canada, the Upper Peninsula is currently in the midst of a weather pattern similar to that of this winter’s unpleasantly brisk days. However, there’s no reason to break out the winter coats just yet.

“Yes, it’s going to be cool across Upper Michigan for the next couple of days,” National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Zika said. “We may get close to having a few record low high temperatures during the day on Tuesday in some areas, which means temperatures may only be in the 50s. That type of weather we’d expect more in October than, obviously, the middle of July, but from what we’re used to seeing and how cool it’s been the early part of the spring and early summer, it’s nothing that’s going to be really crazy or earth-shattering.”

Temperatures will begin to drop Monday night and continue to be chilly into Wednesday, but sufficient cloud cover and breeze should prevent any widespread freeze or frost. Lake Superior has also had a significant impact on lakeshore temperatures throughout the spring and summer.

“It may start out nice and mild early in the morning, but once the lake breeze comes in in the afternoon, temperatures are back into the 50s near the shore, and that’s because water temperatures on Lake Superior are still well below normal for this time of year,” Zika added.

Wild and dangerous weather has been making it’s way across the country this week, but it appears that the U.P. will stay relatively calm, if not a little colder than usual.