The 'polar vortex' has been active since before you were born and will continue to be active long after we die.

I'm sorry but you've simply bought into a MSM buzzword. 'Polar Vortex' is not a weather event like a hurricane, tornado, etc. It simply the term used to describe the ever-present North Pole air currents.

The act of the Polar Vortex extending further south than we're accustomed to is what is causing the extreme winter weather we're experiencing.