Airport officials closed its main runway this week until Jan. 13 to adjust the taxiway signs accounting for the magnetic pole shift, Tampa Bay Online reports.
The runway designation change was called for by the Federal Aviation Administration to reflect a previous National Geographic News report which indicated that the magnetic pole was heading in Russia's direction at almost 40 miles a year.
Chris O'Meara, AP
Tampa International Airport in Florida is closing some runways to make adjustments based on the shifting magnetic pole.
Magnetic changes in Earth's core are causing this, possibly due to "a region of rapidly changing magnetism on the core's surface," according to National Geographic.
Normally, magnetic fields don't require adjustments to be made at airports, FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto told FoxNews.com.
"You want to be absolutely precise in your compass heading," Takemoto said. "To make sure the precision is there that we need, you have to make these changes."
Later this month, two other runways at the Tampa airport will also be closed to update the signs to their new designations.
FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said that airport runway charting relies on accurate geomagnetic information.
Sponsored Links
"Aviation is charted using latitude and longitude and the magnetic poles," she said."The Earth's poles are changing constantly, and when they change more than three degrees, that can affect runway numbering," she added.
It's not known yet if similar changes will be needed at other airports in the United States.
Read more at Tampa Bay Online and Fox News.com.
Make your life more weird! Follow AOL Weird News on Facebook and Twitter
Joe Arpaio Violated Latinos' Rights, Judge Rules
LOOK: How Bad Are Your State's Bridges?
Report: Yahoo Is Bidding On Hulu
Abercrombie Announces Plummeting Sales Amid Controversy
Fox News Host's Outrageous Comment
The iPhone Might Get A Lot Sleeker Very Soon
WHOOPS! Obama Makes Big Gaffe
GOP Senator: Obama Speech A 'Victory' For 'Terrorists'
Toronto Mayor: I Don't Smoke Crack
Ann Coulter's Wild Conspiracy Theory
Ohio School District Considers Teaching Creationism
GOP Rep Tells Woman She Should Have Carried Brain-Dead Fetus To Term, Just In Case
DOJ Confirms Holder Vetted Warrant For Rosen Emails
Wife Of Beheaded British Soldier's Heartbreaking Interview
Governor Goes To Bat For Obamacare
Gas Cylinder Explosion On Pakistan School Bus Kills 17
Gay Teen Charged With Felonies Over Relationship Refuses Plea Deal
New 'Arbitrary' AT&T Fee Upsets Customers
Sequestration Shuts Down The IRS
Bob Menendez: We Don't Have 60 Votes For Immigration Bill
Student Shot At Middle School
Obama OKs Honor For '63 Birmingham Bombing Victims
CEO's Severance Pay Under Fire
Remembering The Victims Of The Tornado
Obama Gitmo Plan At Odds With Top Military Advisers
Madrid's Catholic Church Says It Needs Exorcists
'In Fantasy Land, We Teach Our Kids Abstinence -- And They Listen'
Palin Gets Confused
