Question #2d078

1 Answer
Feb 9, 2018

Orthogonal to the seashore

Explanation:

Land breeze and sea breeze are generated in function of the changes in atmospheric pressure above the land and the sea in coastal areas. These changes are due to the different heating and cooling of the water and the land through the day.

Both breezes flow almost orthogonal to the seashore.

During the day the land is heated by the sun faster and at higher temperature than the sea. As result the air above becomes less dense and rises. This causes a drop in local pressure that must be filled causing colder and denser air to flow from the sea towards the shore.

At night the opposite happens: the land cools faster and at lower temperatures than the water of the sea. This causes denser air to flow from the shore to the ocean.

At high altitude the breezes generate opposite return flows.

(picture from akweather.com)

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