Justin Berk’s Faith in the Flakes returns to Gerstell Academy!

1/12/2023

After a long hiatus, due to the COVID pandemic, the Lower and Middles Schools were thrilled to welcome back meteorologist, Justin Berk. Justin Berk served as a local meteorologist for WBAL and WMAR for twenty years. During the program, Mr. Berk’s presentation included a slide show with illustrations of snowflakes and discussed how no two snowflakes are alike. He also discussed weather trends and patterns and the difficulty predicting the weather. Mr. Berk also explained the reasons why local weather patterns vary.

A self-prescribed “weather nut” Mr. Berk’s passion for all things weather, particularly snowstorms, and the difficulty predicting them, led to the phrase Faith in the Flakes. When Mr. Berk’s son was four years old, he predicted a major snowstorm in the Baltimore metro area. Mr. Berk was positive the storm would produce snow, and a lot of it. With the anticipation of the snowstorm, they went to bed. In the morning, there was no snow. In the afternoon, there was no snow. The forecast was incorrect. Mr. Berk was devastated that his forecast was incorrect and that he disappointed his young son. However, instead of being disappointed, his son provided inspiration to have faith that another snowstorm will come. Faith in the flakes was born!

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