2017-18 Arctic polar low season

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The **2017-18 Arctic polar low season** is a currently active event that started on June 10, 2017 and will end on June 9, 2018. The official season starts on October 1, 2017 and ends on April 30, 2018.

## Storms

### Polar Low Antonin

 980 mbar

On July 30, Polar Vortex 01 formed off of Northern Quebec. The Polar Vortex became a Polar Low and was named *Antonin* on July 31. The next day, Antonin began to slightly strengthen. However, as Antonin began to interact with the UK and Ireland, Antonin weakened. In the very early morning hours of August 3, Antonin weakened into a polar vortex after making landfall in Scotland. Damage was minimal in Scotland and only two injuries were reported. Antonin dissipated on the same morning.

### Polar Low Birthe

 1004 mbar

On August 18, Polar Low Birthe formed. Polar Low Birthe was very brief and weak, only causing minimal damage to Nunavut and Greenland before dissipating the next day.

### Polar Low Bjørn

 959 mbar

On October 11, a polar vortex formed off of the coast of Newfoundland. This polar vortex became slightly more organized, becoming a weak polar low with the name *Bjørn*, which means "bear" in Danish/Norwegian. Polar Low Bjørn began to rapidly intensify on October 12, becoming the season's first strong polar low, with winds of 110 mph. On October 14, Bjørn began to approach Iceland, as the storm continued to deepen in pressure and intensity. Bjørn became the season's first major polar low on October 14, with winds of 115 mph, and a pressure of 960 mbar. Polar Low Bjørn strengthened to its peak intensity of 120 mph/959 mbar as it made landfall in Iceland. At least $1.5 billion in damages was caused and 18 fatalities were recorded from the storm. Polar Low Bjørn began to weaken on October 15 as it moved away from the coast of Greenland, heading towards the coast of Norway. Polar low warnings were issued for the western coast of Norway, as Bjørn weakened to a strong polar low on October 16. The storm further weakened in the next advisory, becoming a weak polar low. Bjørn became a polar vortex on the evening of October 16, as the storm became deteriorated. On October 17, Bjørn dissipated as it hit Norway. Minimal damage was caused in Norway and no fatalities occurred.

### Polar Low Calfuray

 984 mbar

On October 17, a very large area of disturbed weather formed near Greenland. It became Polar Low Calfuray the same day, and it was measured as the largest polar low in the record books since Polar Low Ild. Polar Low Calfuray continued to strengthen as it neared landfall in Southern Greenland on October 18. Polar Low Calfuray caused minor flooding in Greenland, with most areas picking up more than 3 inches. One fatality occurred in Greenland, and about $100 million in damages has occurred from Polar Low Calfuray. Finally, on October 19, Calfuray weakened into a polar vortex and dissipated.

### Polar Low Christine

 943 mbar

On October 20, the remnants of Invest 92L turned extra-tropical. These remnants reached a latitude to where the system was able to be declared a polar low. The polar low was named *Christine*, which quickly became the most intense storm of the season. Polar Low Christine remained a very powerful storm on October 22, when the storm began to make turn near Greenland. Fortunately, no land areas were affected during this process. Polar Low Christine began to weaken that evening as it turned northeast towards Iceland and Scandinavia. On October 27, Christine struck Norway, causing flooding and moderate damage.

### Polar Low Côme

 986 mbar

On February 8, a low pressure area formed over Nunavut. This low pressure area was tracking eastward into Hudson Bay. Polar agencies noticed that the storm had began to develop a closed circulation, with the polar low area pressure becoming Polar Vortex 6 on February 9. The polar vortex had emerged into Hudson Bay with 40 mph winds, becoming Polar Low Côme. Although a weak polar low, Côme managed to maintain a pressure of 987 millibars later that evening. Warm waters allowed Côme to weaken, as intense snow showers around the "eye" of the storm diminished. The pressure of Côme fell to 989 millibars with winds of 50 mph on the morning of February 10. Polar Low Côme made landfall on Northern Quebec with winds of 40 mph and a pressure of 994 millibars at noon on February 10, causing minimal to no damage. Some trees were uprooted by strong wind gusts as Côme moved through the area. Côme was classified as a remnant low that night, just before it re-emerged over the frigid waters of the Barents Sea, allowing Côme to regenerate and rapidly intensify. Yet again, it strengthened into a 986 millibar polar low with winds of 65 mph. As the outer-bands of Côme reached Greenland's capital, Nuuk. Polar Low Côme made landfall with a pressure of 988 millibars and winds of 45 mph before making landfall just south of Nuuk, Greenland. On February 11, Côme dissipated over Greenland's ice cap.

### Polar Low Erik

 958 mbar

On February 9, an extra-tropical cyclone developed into a polar low, just moments after Polar Vortex 6 formed. With a pressure of 972 millibars, the storm had already had the lowest pressure for a polar vortex. It rapidly intensified into a major polar low on February 10, scraping the northern tip of Iceland. It was named Erik by local polar agencies, just before striking Iceland as a major polar low. Major damage was caused and only one person died. Erik dissipated on February 13, just before it could make landfall in Greenland.

### Polar Low Felix

 942 mbar

On February 10, an area of low pressure, believed to be related to the area of low pressure that spawned Polar Low Côme, developed over Quebec. Frigid temperatures allowed it to deepen as it moved southeastward, toward northern Newfoundland. The area of low pressure caught the jet stream, causing the storm to move to the northeast, rapidly intensifying. While still not classified as a storm, it maintained a pressure of 973 millibars. Polar agencies finally noticed this, and named the storm "Felix". Felix was the very first storm to be a strong polar low when finally classified. Felix rapidly intensified on February 13 into a 955 millibar storm. It was the strongest storm since Very Major Polar Low Christine in October 2017. It strengthened into a 940 millibar storm before striking Iceland at peak intensity. Major damage was recorded, with up to $4.1 billion. Only 11 deaths were reported, and the storm moved offshore, dissipating on the 17th.

## Storm names

This is the first year to use the 29-name 6-year rotating naming lists. The list consists of the countries around the basins' languages. This includes French, Inuktitut, Danish, Greenlandic, Norwegian, and English. Names are listed in alphabetical order. Names that are not retired off of this list will be used again in 2023-24.

* Antonin
* Birthe
* Bjørn
* Calfuray
* Christine
* Côme
* Erik
* Felix
* Germain *(unused)*
* Hildegard *(unused)*
* Hjalmar *(unused)*
* Jonna *(unused)*
* Julie *(unused)*
* Kris *(unused)*
* Lennart *(unused)*
* Magnus *(unused)*
* Marina *(unused)*
* Max *(unused)*
* Milla *(unused)*
* Nanuk *(unused)*
* Noëlle *(unused)*
* Nora *(unused)*
* Olga *(unused)*
* Sigrid *(unused)*
* Tilda *(unused)*
* Torsten *(unused)*
* Tupaarnaq *(unused)*
* Ulrika *(unused)*
* Ursula *(unused)*