Question

How do nearby bodies of water help to keep the climate of certain areas mild?

Answer 1

Water acts as a moderator of temperature and provides humidity to the atmosphere.

Explanation:

Water has a very high heat capacity . 4.19 joules per gram per degree `C^o` or 1 calorie per gram per degree `C^o`

This means when the sun is hot the water can absorb a lot the heat without raising the temperature of the water very much. This cools the air above ocean. This cool air is carried inland by ocean breezes.

In contrast when the air temperature is cold the water can release heat from the calories stored in the water, this prevents the temperature from dropping further.

In Orange County where I lived the temperature right along the ocean usually 5 degrees (`F^o`) cooler in the summer than the towns only 5 miles inland and 10 degrees cooler than the inland valleys.