A sea breeze, also known as an onshore breeze, is a wind that blows from a large body of water toward or onto a landmass. It develops due to differences in air pressure created by the differing heat capacities of water and dry land. Here are some key points about sea breezes:
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Cause: Sea breezes occur during hot summer days because of the unequal heating rates of land and water. During the day, the land surface heats up faster than the water surface, causing the air above the land to be warmer than the air above the ocean. As a result, warm air rises, and the cooler air over the ocean flows over the land surface to replace the rising warm air, creating the sea breeze.
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Localized: Sea breezes are more localized than prevailing winds and are a common occurrence along coasts after sunrise. They are an important factor in coastal regions prevailing winds.
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Effect: Sea breezes can create a weather front known as a sea-breeze front or convergence zone, where the cold air from the sea meets the warmer air from the land, potentially leading to the formation of cumulus clouds and triggering thunderstorms.
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Variations: Sea breezes are most common in the tropics and lower latitudes where the suns heating is greatest. They are usually 5-15 miles per hour, but some hilly coastlines have 25 mile per hour sea breezes. The average sea breeze penetrates inland only 10-20 miles.
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Regional Impact: In specific regions, such as Florida and California, sea breezes have dramatic effects, causing strong thunderstorms with dangerous lightning and large hail in Florida, and bringing a thick layer of fog along the California coast.
In summary, a sea breeze is a localized wind that develops due to differences in air pressure created by the unequal heating rates of land and water, and it has significant effects on coastal regions and weather patterns.
