Land and Sea Breezes| Class 11 Geography Notes

Land and Sea Breezes are the coastal winds that are gentle to moderate in nature. The land breeze is a type of wind that blows from land to a large body of water. On the other hand, the sea breeze is a type of wind that blows on the reverse side of the land breeze. It blows from a large water body towards the land. Both Land and Sea Breezes start to move when the warm air starts to rise and is gradually replaced by the cold air.

In this article, we are going to discuss the Land and Sea Breezes in detail.

Land and Sea Breezes| Class 11 Geography Notes

What Is Land Breeze?

The land breeze is a type of wind that blows from land to a large body of water. Land Breeze is the off-shore wind. It takes place during the night time or the early winter morning. The ideal weather for the Land Breeze is autumn.

Here are the major specifications of the Land Breeze as mentioned below.

  • The ultimate result of the Land Breeze is the formation of clouds.
  • At night the land cools faster than during the day. It happens because there is no sunlight at night.
  • Water retains the heat longer than land. It creates a lower density in the air.
  • The process forms a high pressure over land and low pressure over the water.
  • Dense air moves from land to the side of water. The movement of winds happens from the high to low-pressure areas.

What Is Sea Breeze?

The sea breeze is a type of wind that blows from large body of water to land. Sea Breeze is the on-shore wind. It takes place during the day time. The best season for this wind is spring and summer.

Here are the major specifications of the Sea Breeze as mentioned below.

  • Sea breeze takes place when land heats up during the day time.
  • Sea breeze flows in the day time because land heats up more quick than the day time.
  • Warm air rise above of the land as it is lighter than cool air.
  • Cool air moves from above the water to fill the space left by the rising warm air.

Difference Between Land and Sea Breezes

Here are the major differences between Land and Sea Breezes as mentioned below.

Parameter Land Breeze Sea Breeze
Meaning Wind blows from land to sea. Wind blows from sea to land.
Time Occurs at night or early mornings. Occurs during the day.
Season Common in winter or autumn. Common in summer or spring.
Depth Shallow. Deep.
Speed Speed ranges from 5 to 8 knots. Speed ranges from 10 to 20 knots.
Air Temp. Air temperature remains the same. Air temperature tends to decrease.
Wind Type Typically dry winds blow. Contains more moisture from the sea.

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Class 11 Land and Sea Breezes- FAQs

What are land breeze and sea breeze Class 11?

Land Breeze is the breeze that blows from land to sea, whereas the Sea Breeze blows from water onto land. Sea Breeze: During the day, land gets heated up faster than water, while water takes time to acquire the same temperature as there in the land.

What is the land and sea breeze phenomenon?

Land breeze, a local wind system characterized by a flow from land to water late at night. Land breezes alternate with sea breezes along coastlines adjacent to large bodies of water. Both are induced by differences that occur between the heating or cooling of the water surface and the adjacent land surface.

What is the difference between land and sea breeze?

While sea breezes occur during the day, land breezes occur at night. Despite the difference in times at which the land breezes and sea breezes occur, the reason for the land breeze’s formation is basically the same as the sea breeze, but the role of the ocean and land is reversed.

How land and sea breeze are formed?

Land and sea breezes develop because of differential heating and cooling of adjacent land and water surfaces. Water has a greater heat capacity than land, i.e. land absorbs and emits radiation more efficiently and faster.

Why are sea breezes and land breezes important?

The differential heating of water and land generates daytime sea breezes (onshore flows of air) and land breezes (offshore flows of air). In summer, sea breezes are important in coastal cities in mitigating heat stress, with implications for thermal stress and air quality.