Weather Outlook:
The low pressure system discussed below has decided to take the low-road, and has been surpressed to the southeast of the Metro region. A few showers linger around the Norfolk area at this time, but should rapidly translate eastward over the next couple of hours. As for us, visible satellite images indicate generally sunny conditions across the region, with a few clouds hanging over portions of Lower Southern MD.

We should be left with a fine close to the weekend as highs soar into the mid and upper 40s.

The Effects of the Coriolis Force:
I'm sure many of you have either heard or learned about this phenomenon in elementary or middle school--the apparent shifting of objects in the Northern hemisphere to the right, and visa versa in the south. But most science teachers cannot explain the full concept of this driving mechanism behind the most terrifying storms on earth.

The earth spins at a considerable speed to the east, which is greatest at the Equator, where the circumference of the earth is nearly 25,000 miles. At 0 degrees latitude, the earth is spinning at a mind-bending 1,037.5 miles per hour. As you move north (or south), the rotation of the earth becomes slower, and falls to nothing at the poles.

Now, because the earth rotates in a clockwise fashion, any object not directly in contact with the surface will be moved either to the right or left depending on 1) which hemisphere it's in and 2) which direction it's moving (north/south from the equator).

If an object moves north from the equator, it will be shoved to the east as it approaches higher latitudes. Likewise, an object moving south from the North Pole will be deflected to the west as it approaches lower latitudes.

Back in the First World War, the Kaiser artillery division constructed a massive cannon named Big Bertha, capable of firing 210mm howitzer shells over 60 miles from the German front line to Paris. The German gunners were given coordinates directly over the French capital, but the shells consistently kept missing their target by nearly 1 mile to the west. Without knowing it, the German's had fallen victim to the Coriolis Force.

When: Sunday, December 19th @ 4:15
Weather Impact: Minimal
Commentary: Due to the late kickoff, temperatures will be hovering in the lower 40s under partly cloud skies. By the end of the 4th quarter, temperatures will have fallen into the mid 30s. Be sure to wear an extra jacket/gloves/hat etc. to stay warm