What a “Collapsing” Polar Vortex Means for April Temperatures in New York

It may be spring, but it doesn't appear winter is ready to release the Empire State from its chokehold.

With April officially underway, the question for many is when will those spring-like temperatures finally arrive?

Although the state has seen a few days well above 50 degrees in March, the balmy weather was quickly followed by winter-like chills.

Several meteorologists have begun reading the tea leaves about the fate of spring and some even say it will arrive super late this year. Accuweather warns of lingering cold spells and the risk of late frosts, which could cause trouble for local gardeners and orchard owners.

What Is Causing Spring to Be Late in New York?

No one wants to hear that winter is going to overstay its welcome by months, but that's what appears to be the case in 2025.

IFL Science says the reason New York and much of the Northeast is struggling with below-average temperatures is due to a "collapsing polar vortex."

What Is the Polar Vortex and Why Is It Affecting Spring?

The polar vortex is defined as a low-pressure system made up of bitterly cold air that inhabits the area around the Earth's North and South Poles. What keeps it contained to the Earth's poles is the polar jet stream, which acts like a boundary.

Normally, the two systems work together to keep the cold air contained. They can, however, be disrupted and that's what causes areas well outside the area by the Earth's poles to deal with rogue blasts of arctic air.

In March, the system was disturbed by several major pressure changes that acted as an atmospheric upheaval, and allowed even more cold air to escape.

The latest disturbance, according to IFL Science, was in mid-March.

How Will the Polar Vortex Impact Spring in New York?

Long story short, it seems we'll need to keep those winter jackets and snow boots out just a little longer.

Cold weather is expected to blanket New York through mid-April, bringing the chance of freezing temperatures, snowfall, as well as "rough and stormy" weather for the eastern part of the United States.

The chance of snow is in the forecast between April 7 and April 9th.

Accuweather's monthly outlook for Central New York paints a picture of what the rest of the month will look like. According to its forecast, the area will see chillier nights and temperatures struggling to reach the 50-degree mark before the 13th.

After then, the overnights will gradually enter the 40s and stay comfortably within that zone around the 29th. However, it seems rain is going to stick around for most of the month and drench the area from the 21st onward.

But, as Ray Stagich of the Weather Channel has previously said, long-range forecasts are not set in stone because much could change between now and then.

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