The polar vortex is coming back and it's not going to be pretty. Fall has come and gone and now winter is here. At the beginning of December, the weather was chilly. However, the weather has gotten to the point where it's noticeably cooler. Not chilly, but down-right cold.

The polar vortex, as stated by the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (the NOAA) is, “A large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles. It always exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter. 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.”

So far, the Westchester region of New York has only experienced light snow showers, forming less than an inch on the ground. Beside the one or two sprinkles of snow, there has mostly been some rain showers as well.

However, this upcoming week, and for most of the month of December, the weather will be brutal. Snow usually occurs in January in New York, leaving a full month of December open for the Polar Vortex to occur. These freezing cold temperatures will force you to bundle up in layers and put on several coats of lotion before bed. It will be difficult to manage chapped lips and ice cold feet around this time of year.

According to USA Today’s article, Polar Vortex is Back and it's Going to get Ugly, by Doyle Rice, “Thanks to howling winds, temperatures will plunge to dangerous levels over the north-central states. Wind chills in the minus 15 to minus 25 degree range are likely in Minnesota," the weather service said. “Highs are likely to be in the 30s along the Interstate-95 corridor of the mid-Atlantic during the latter part of next week," AccuWeather said. There may be a day or two where temperatures fail to reach the freezing mark from Philadelphia and New York City to Boston.

But the intense cold may not stick around until Christmas: "We expect arctic air to retreat northward around Christmas Time," according to AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

For the people who can't stand the regular forty degrees winter temperatures, it will only get colder throughout the month. A trip to California or Florida is probably the best place to stay warm this time of year. The glacial gusts of winds and freezing temperatures are on their way, so get ready.