'Unusual' Antarctic polar vortex could mean cold wet Aussie summer

An icy polar vortex lingering above Antarctica could have serious repercussions on Australia's weather over summer.

The air above Antarctica is currently at record cold levels for this time of year according to meteorologists, and this is behind the fluctuating weather patterns parts of Australia have seen in recent weeks.

Along with current La Nina conditions, this polar vortex will likely mean above average rainfall and less extreme heat in the coming months.

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According to Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino, the day-to-day weather we experience in Australia is a result of interactions between high and low-pressure systems near the Earth's surface.

As air flows from areas of high pressure to regions of low pressure, the merge sees rain and cloud form.

Meteorologists have warned unusual activity in Antarctica is impacting these systems, which could in turn have an effect on Australia's summer.

Each winter, months of darkness over the south pole cause a large mass of extremely cold air to develop 30-50 kilometres above Antarctica.

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This mass of cold air is surrounded by a ring of strong westerly winds which form the polar vortex.

"In a typical year, the polar vortex peaks in winter and breaks down in spring as sunlight returns to the south pole and the air in the stratosphere warms up," Mr Domensino said.

"However, this year, the vortex has persisted well into November at an unprecedented strength."

This is why maximum temperatures have been below average over large parts of southeastern Australia over the past two weeks.

"There was a particularly cool spell last Thursday, which produced Sydney's coldest November day in 26 years," Mr Domensino said.

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He said while not all parts of Australia have seen an increase in wet weather, some parts of eastern NSW have already exceeded their average November rain only a third of the way into the month.

While it may mean a wetter summer, Mr Domensino said the strong vortex, along with La Nina and other climate drivers, could help suppress the fire season and cause an increase in drought-relieving rain.