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Land Breeze Develops
cooler air flows offshore
Since the
pressure
at any location is determined by the weight of the air
above it, the accumulation
of air at higher levels causes the pressure at levels below to increase.
In the case of a developing land-breeze circulation, an area of
high pressure develops over land at the surface
in response to the accumulation of air at higher levels by onshore flow.
Conversely, an area of surface low pressure
develops over water in response to the removal of air from higher levels.
These areas of high and
low pressure establish a surface
pressure gradient
which generates an offshore flow of air at the surface, or land breeze.
Vertical motions are induced in response
to the horizontally moving air.
Over water, for example, offshore flow causes air to
pile up at lower levels while
onshore flow removes air from higher levels. As a result, air rises
up from lower levels to replace the air that is being removed aloft.
On the other hand, over land,
air is accumulated at higher levels while being removed
from lower levels.
In response, air descends from higher levels to replace the air that
is being removed from lower levels.
These rising and sinking motions complete the loop that makes up the
land-breeze circulation.
onshore flow aloft
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Hurricanes
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