Processes connecting the upper and lower atmosphere play a crucial role in predicting weather patterns. By analyzing weather data and using computer simulations, researchers found that changes in pressure in specific regions can affect the strength of the polar vortex in the stratosphere. A low-pressure area near the Aleutian Islands can trigger a pattern that weakens the vortex, while high-pressure anomalies in the Ural region can lead to its weakening as well. Understanding these connections can improve our ability to forecast weather changes in the Northern Hemisphere during winter.