Content Curator
Breeze refers to a mild, moderate wind that blows around us. Sea Breeze and Land Breeze can be found around large water bodies. Picture the beach; the sun heats both the sand and water at the same time. However, the sand would heat up faster than the water. This leads to the occurrence of Sea Breeze and Land Breeze.
| Table of Content |
Formation of Breeze
During the day, the sun warms both the sand(land) and water. However, the sand absorbs the sun's heat faster than water. As a result, the sand heats up before the sea. This causes a land breeze and a sea breeze to form near bodies of water.
Both the land breeze and the sea breeze are affected by the convection phenomena. A land breeze is a breeze that flows from the land to the sea. The sea breeze is the breeze that moves from the sea to the land. Both of these winds have distinctive characteristics.
Natural Resources: Important Notes
What is Sea Breeze?
Sea breeze blows during the day. Land heats up faster than the sea causing the air over the land to get hotter faster than the air above the sea. Hot air expands and rises, resulting in a low-pressure situation.
At the same time, the air over the sea is cooler because water retains its temperature better than land. This chilly air is dense and moves fast into the low-pressure area on land. A sea breeze is the movement of cooler air from the sea to land throughout the day.
Steps to Sea Breeze Formation
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how sea breezes are formed:
- The sun shines equally on land and sea, imparting the same amount of heat energy to both.
- Because land has a specific heat capacity five times that of water, its temperature rises far faster than that of the sea.
- The air above the ground gets heated and lightly rises, causing low pressure formation over the land.
- Because of the low pressure above the landmass, the cool air from the sea begins to blow towards the land.
What is Land Breeze?
Land Breeze blows through the night. When night falls, the process of sea breeze formation is reversed. Land both heats up and cools down quickly. As a result, as the sun sets, sea air remains hotter for a longer period of time.
This results in the formation of low-pressure areas over the sea. Because land air is cooler, it moves fast to replace the lighter air over the sea.
Steps to Land Breeze Formation
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how land breezes are formed:
- At night, the temperature of the air drops.
- Rising air causes a thermal low pressure wind to form near the ocean's surface.
- Cool air congregates, generating a high-pressure zone above the ocean's surface.
- Because of the quick loss of heat, a low-pressure zone arises over the land surface.
- As the cooler terrain cools the air immediately above the surface, a high-pressure zone forms.
- Winds in the sky blow from the ocean to the land.
- Surface winds travel from high to low pressure, resulting in a land breeze.
Difference between Land and Sea Breeze
There are several elements that distinguish land breeze from sea breeze.
| Sea Breeze | Land Breeze |
|---|---|
| Sea Breeze has more depth than Land Breeze | When compared to a sea breeze, a land breeze is shallower. |
| The sea breeze lowers the temperature. | Land breeze generally has no effect on temperature. |
| During the summer and spring seasons, a sea breeze is more prominent. This is due to the fact that temperatures remain higher during the day during these seasons. | During the winter and autumn, a land breeze is more common. At such periods, the nights tend to be cooler. |
| Sea breezes are typically faster, reaching velocities of up to 20 knots. | The land breeze is much slower, with top speeds of up to 8 knots. |
| Sea breeze contains more moisture, which it absorbs when it blows over a body of water. | Land breeze is drier because it cannot absorb water from any source. |
| Finally, the sea breeze moves from the sea to a landmass. | The land breeze blows from land to a body of water, usually a sea or ocean. |
As a result, both land breeze and sea breeze occur near bodies of water. However, the speed of land winds is slower than that of sea breezes. In addition to these factors, land breezes are typically created at night, whereas sea breezes are formed during the day.
Things to Remember
- Both land breeze and sea breeze occur near coastlines.
- They both influence humidity, air temperature, and precipitation rates.
- The land breeze is usually slower and weaker than the sea breeze.
- The temperature in places near the water or along the shore does not vary much due to the breeze. The inland areas, on the other hand, see a significant temperature fluctuation.
Sample Questions
Ques. Why does land and sea breeze occur?(3 marks)
Ans. The ability of land and water to absorb and retain heat differs. As a result, the air above them becomes lighter or heavier. The heavier and colder air travels towards the lighter and hotter air, creating a breeze. As a result, it is the cause of both the land breeze and the sea breeze.
Temperature Distinction Between Land and Sea
Now that you understand the difference between land and sea breeze, you can see why regions near the water tend to have minimal temperature variation throughout the year. This means that the temperature in such areas is usually consistent. The temperature differential is particularly pronounced in inland places.
Temperatures in such inland places increase during the day. However, as night falls, these locations tend to have cooler weather.
Note: Clouds can be seen from a seaside area at night, but they evaporate in the morning. This is due to the flow of the breeze.
Ques. Which types of the breeze are beneficial to glider pilots?(1 mark)
Ans. Because the sea breeze is strong enough, glider pilots use it to steer at greater altitudes.
Ques. Why is the climate of regions near the sea so humid?(2 marks)
Ans. Because of the effect of the sea breeze, localities or cities near the sea or around coastal regions often have a humid and damp climate. As a result of its proximity to the sea, a city like Mumbai has a high level of humidity and moisture in the air.
Comments