If you’ve ever been to the beach on a hot and sunny day, you have probably noticed that it can get pretty breezy during the afternoon. You may have also noticed that areas closest to the ocean are often much cooler than places just inland. Many local news and weather stations simply refer to this phenomenon as a “Sea Breeze", but what exactly is it?
A sea breeze is caused by the difference in temperature between the landmass and the ocean. On a hot and sunny day, the landmass heats up much quicker than the ocean water causing slightly lower pressure. The much cooler air just above the ocean surface creates an area of higher pressure. Since winds blow from high pressure to areas of lower pressure, the cool air over the ocean blows inland. Sometimes this sea breeze can travel several miles inland, acting as a mini cold front. On very unstable days, the sea breeze can even be enough to trigger showers and thunderstorms.
The meteorological conditions that create a sea breeze also play a role on a much larger scale. Seasonal monsoons are created through virtually the same process. The most infamous monsoon occurs near the Himalaya Mountains. Summertime in the Northern Hemisphere heats up the landmass of southern Asia. This creates an area of relatively low pressure in comparison to the cooler air associated with the Indian Ocean. This allows the cooler, moist air off the ocean to travel northward into the higher elevations. The air is forced up higher and higher as it approaches the mountain range, where the moisture cools & condenses creating rain.
