Polar Vortex and Dale of Norway

 Was the Polar Vortex to blame for this week's cold snap all across the Europe?

Apparently so, according to this excellent article in the NYT this morning.

I don't think I've had a real understanding of what the Polar Vortex actually is, to me it just sounded like a dramatic way to describe some unusually cold weather.
You know how some people will try to insist that climate change is not a real thing because hey, look at the cold snaps we've been having in winter?  Well apparently those cold snaps are caused by the weakening polar vortex.
The polar vortex is a low pressure system that is usually capping the North Pole, sort of like a hat.  In doing so it traps the extremely cold air of the Arctic.  But with a warming North Pole the vortex weakens and the air flows down through Europe and North America.

How warm is the North Pole right now?  This week it was above freezing, warmer than Europe, and the Arctic ice (whose extent is at the lowest level ever recorded) is in fact already breaking up in what is really still the dead of winter.  
You can read an AMS article about the weakening polar vortex here.

Guess what the coldest area of Europe was this past week?  That's right, Norway.
Which brings us to a discussion of an excellent brand of cold weather clothing out of Norway that might come in super handy as the polar vortex continues to wreak havoc during our winters.

You can read all about Dale of Norway, and view their collections, here.

 During the Great Coat Meltdown 2018 I purchased a coat from Dale of Norway and I have zero regrets.
It arrived this week in a glory of technical ivory wool, with three layers of protection from the cold and a smart, fitted design.

For the past few years I've been wearing a parka I purchased during a JCrew sale that seemed to consist mostly of polyester.  The colour was nice, a sort of aqua blue shade, but the fabric was fraying and the filling lumpy.  It was both heavy to wear (kind of like one of those lead aprons they place on you at the dentist while you're having X-rays) and actually coming apart at the seams.

I first bought Dale of Norway a few years ago when I needed an outfit for spring skiing.  I purchased one of their signature sweaters (which I've since passed on to Middle Rascal) and a quilted wool vest in black that I have ended up wearing all the time (you can see the vest in this colour story).
It was the vest that had me appreciating the knitting techniques they apply to their wool, so warm yet not bulky in the least, and with a really attractive pattern to the weave.

Coat interior.

 I love the colour of this coat, it's perfect to break up the all-black outfits I wear during winter.  Here I have it on with my Brora black cashmere turtleneck (my warmest layer) and my usual Theory pants.

 The details on a Dale of Norway piece are extraordinary: extremely high quality zippers, and in this case, toggles.

This is an heirloom brand, I recommend!

It's already Friday and you know what that means, Miller Time.
We're planning to lie low this weekend.  MrBP has been ill this past week with a dreadful cold, and he really needs to rest.  I had quite a painful treatment for my neck and shoulder yesterday, perhaps made more painful due to injuring the area again during a too-ambitious walk with Scout on Monday.
It will be comfort foods and sitting by the fire for us this weekend!
What are you up to?  Any shenanigans or tomfoolery?  Any thoughts on the Polar Vortex or Dale of Norway?
xoxDani