An Arctic Oscillation Maximum. This vortex is gigantic. Hemispheric.

It is nearly entire width of the northern Pacific.

UNISYS Water Vapor GOES West Satellite Image (click here for 12 hour loop)
April 23, 2013
2130:20 z











When examining the 'water vapor' trail of the vortex below it extends across the entire of the North Pacific. 

UNISYS North and West Hemisphere satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)
April 23, 2013
2130:20z






This illustration to the right is where the Arctic Circle exists. The vortex reaches from the Arctic Circle in Canada to the tropical regions of Earth at the equator. It's reach is below Hawaii (the tiny red dots of the lower right image.)

This is taken from the hemispheric image from UNISYS above. The red dots in the lower left are Hawaii. The deep white water vapor that looks like ribbon just north of Hawii, is reflected in the same physics of the uneven shape of the vortex itself. The edges of the vortex are not defined as well as smaller vortices because of the size and span of larger wind and air definitions. It is sincerely a definition of OSCILLATION within this dynamic.

This vortex crosses wind belts. It's upper tropospheric dynamics allows it to overpower the nature of Earth in a strong reaction to planetary heating.

There is no Jet Stream there.

Look out!

That is a lot of air turbulence. 



April 23, 2013 
2215 gmt
The Weather Channel Current Temperatures










April 23, 2013
2207 gmt
The Weather Channel 24 hour temperature change map.