Tilt of the earth question

• Sonofanump

  Why is the shortest day of the year in third week of December but the historic average coldest days of the year in the third week of January? Should these not coincide? I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with magnets.
• derek bomar

  

  I'd guess because heat travels slower than sun light? Idk.
• fiction

  

  I believe it's due to the oceans, and the high specific heat capacity of water.
• LJ

  

  because racecar
• said_aouita

  

  I blame Obama.
• Wildcat24

  

  
  
  Honestly, I would imagine it has to do with the ocean temperature and it's currents.
• Jughead

  

  http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/wfaqsson.htm
  
  http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/faq-temperature.htm
  
  Near the bottom of each of these articles.
  
  Did a simple google search for 'coldest part of the year' and these are what popped up.
• Terry_Tate

  

  LJ;1048588 wrote:because racecar

  
  Lol'd
• jmog

  fiction;1048578 wrote:I believe it's due to the oceans, and the high specific heat capacity of water.

  About as simple as one can put it, the articles listed go into more detail.
  
  Basically even though we are farther away from the sun in the winter due to the mass and heat capacity of the ground/water it takes awhile to get to the "coldest".
  
  Think of ice, even though you put the water into the freezer at 1:00 pm, the bigger the "cup" of water the longer it takes before it is frozen.
• THE4RINGZ

  

  
• Devils Advocate

  

  
• Fab4Runner

  

  I love Chemistry Cat!
• ManO'War

  

  I suppose the same would be true for June 21st not being the hottest time of the year.
• Sonofanump

  The hottest is middle of July.
• jmog

  ManO'War;1049225 wrote:I suppose the same would be true for June 21st not being the hottest time of the year.

  Yes.