Have you ever been at the beach and witnessed how storms seem to pop up right on schedule in the afternoon, prompting you to seek shelter? And just as quickly as they arrive, they pass by, and the sun reappears. If this sounds familiar, you may have encountered storms linked to the sea breeze phenomenon. The sea breeze is a localized, wind-driven system that is activated by the land and sea heating up at different rates. Here is how it unfolds: As the sun warms the land faster than the ocean during the day, the air above the land also heats up, creating a weak area of low pressure. At the same time, the cooler air over the water is pushed downward and begins to move inland. This inland movement of cooler air is denser and displaces the warmer air over the land, causing it to rise and forming a small frontal boundary due to the temperature contrast. As this front progresses inland, it often triggers a line of showers and thunderstorms in a specific region. After the sea breeze passes, temperatures can drop significantly by 15-20 degrees. While this weather phenomenon is commonly associated with the ocean, it can also occur near other large bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes. Jennifer Gray, a weather and climate writer for weather.com, has been reporting on some of the most significant weather and climate events worldwide for the past twenty years.
