Law360, New York (January 23, 2014, 1:46 PM EST) -- The so-called "polar vortex" of frigid air that swept the United States in early January 2014 was blamed for more than 20 cold-related deaths and shattered low temperature records that in some cases stood for more than a century. The polar vortex is a wind pattern that typically circles the Arctic, keeping extremely cold air centered near the North Pole. On occasion, as was the case recently, the vortex weakens and allows cold air to pour south into Canada, the U.S. and other parts of the world, including Europe. The cold air push also redirects the jet stream further south, which can cause significant snow and ice storms (the same phenomenon is to blame for "Snowmageddon," which devastated Washington, D.C., with treacherous snow storms in February 2010)....