Sea Breezes, Land Breezes and Coastal Fronts

Prerequisites for this Tutorial: Winds and Pressure: Part I and Part II

Introduction

Jerry North, the former head of the Department of Meteorology here at Texas A&M, likes to study climate change by simulating the weather on "terra blanda", a flat, completely shrub-covered planet. Unfortunately, the real Earth has land, water, and mountains, and these geographical variations have a profound influence on local weather and climate. This module focuses on three types of weather that are specifically caused by the land/sea boundary, with or without mountains: the sea breeze, the land breeze, and the coastal front.

Learning Objectives

  • To understand the cause of sea breezes, land breezes and coastal fronts
  • To be able to predict the development, evolution, and weather associated with sea breezes, land breezes and coastal fronts

Table of Contents