Land and Sea breezes occur along coastal areas such as beaches. Image by Livescience.

Land and Sea breezes occur along coastal areas such as beaches. Image by Livescience.

ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes:Land and Sea breezes

  • As the name clearly suggests these breezes occur along coastal areas or along large lakes and water bodies.
  • A breeze is a cool and calm wind.
  • There arise as a result of differential heating and cooling between land and adjacent sea areas during the day and at night.
  • The resultant pressure differences produce gentle breezes which affect coastal areas during calm clear anticyclonic conditions.

Sea breeze

Sea breeze. Image by Brisbanehotairballooning.

Sea breeze. Image by Brisbanehotairballooning.

  • It occurs during the day.
  • The land heats up quickly by conduction and air rises.
  • The air moves towards the sea and falls since it is denser.
  • The air creates an area of high pressure over the sea while the land has low pressure since it is hotter when compared to the ocean’s surface.
  • The sea absorbs heat more slowly during the day and transmits it to greater depth so it remains cool.
  • A cool sea breeze moves from the sea towards the land.
  • The sea breeze is capable of reducing temperatures by as much as 15°C along coastal areas and may produce fogs.

Land breeze

Land breezes occur at night. Image by Brisbanehotairballooning

Land breezes occur at night. Image by Brisbanehotairballooning.

  • At night the reverse happens.
  • Land quickly loses its heat while the ocean cools at a slower rate because water has a higher heat specific capacity.
  • This means air over the water is less dense and begins to rise creating low pressure above the ocean’s surface.
  • Cooler dense air from the land begins to move to the water surface to replace the warm rising air.
  • A cool gentle breeze blows towards the ocean.
  • This is called a land breeze.

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