What is a land breeze?

A land breeze refers to the movement of cooler air over the land towards the water, typically occurring at night. This phenomenon is primarily driven by the differential cooling rates between land and water. During the daytime, land heats up more quickly than water, resulting in warm air rising above the land and creating a sea breeze during the day. Conversely, at night, the land cools rapidly while the ocean retains heat longer due to its higher thermal inertia. This cooling over land causes the air to become denser and sink, creating a breeze that flows from the land toward the relatively warmer water.

Understanding this natural occurrence helps clarify atmospheric conditions near coastlines, where land breezes can significantly influence local weather patterns, especially in areas close to large bodies of water.