As air moves towards or away from the Equator, it drifts east or west, then it begins to steer around regions of high and low pressure, rather than straight towards or away from them. The drift is called the "Coriolis effect" and it's due to the rotation of the Earth.

As the Earth rotates, places on the Equator travels faster than places at higher latitudes because the Earth's circumference is greatest at the Equator, so they have further to travel in the same time than places nearer the poles. Air that is moving away from the Equator is still travelling at equatorial speed, so the air overtakes the ground beneath and appears to drift eastwards. When the air moves in a circle it has "angular momentum".Angular VelocityThe earth turns on it's axis 15 degrees in every hour. This is it's "angular velocity". If you mark a 15 degree angle by drawing two lines from the North Pole to the Equator, you can see that a place on the Equator travels further during one hour than a place much further north. A person standing at the Equator is travelling eastwards at about 1,670 km/h (1,038 mph), and someone at latitude 60 degrees is moving at 722 km/h (449).The Coriolis EffectThe Coriolis effect was once called "force" , but the movements it describes are not caused by pushing or pulling. No force is involved. The effect is simply the result of two bodies, such as the Earth and a mass of air or water, moving at different speeds. Next Week......Local WindsThe answer to last weeks question.......27c.This week's question is:What causes the Coriolis Effect:A/ Local Winds.B/ Rotation of the Earth.Good Luck.Glossary of Common Weather Terms:

Cold Front: The division between a warm air mass and a cold air mass, it brings heavy squalls and sometimes hail and thunder. Once the front has passed, we notice a drop in the temperature.Cloud type of the week:

Stratocumulus (Sc): Grey or whitish sheet with dark parts. Rounded masses or rolls which sometimes merge together. Often to be found on the edge of Anticyclones, so it is not usually associated with rain.Weather for week Monday 7th May-Friday 11th MayGeneral Weather Situation: The Blocking Anticyclone which brought the prolonged fine warm spell will be replaced by low pressure from off the Atlantic bringing mixed cooler windier conditions.Weather Prediction:Bank Holiday Monday cool and breezy with sunshine and local thundery showers.Remainder of week mixed with dry, bright intervals alternating with rain or showers at times. Windy and Cool.Day temperatures 15-17c 59-63f which is still above the May norm.Night temperatures 4-6c 39-43f.Last Week's Observations (Monday-Friday)Highest day temperature......22.5c 73f on Tuesday 1st May.Lowest night temperature.......5.2c 41f on Tuesday 1st May.

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