What term describes a wind that forms near the coastline and blows from sea to land?

What term describes a wind that forms near the coastline and blows from sea to land?

• A. Trade wind
• B. Sea breeze
• C. Chinook
• D. Squall

Answer: (B)

A sea breeze is a wind that forms near the coast and blows from sea to land. It happens when the land heats up faster than the adjacent sea during the day, causing air over the land to rise and create a local low pressure. Cooler air over the sea moves toward the shore to replace the rising air, producing onshore flow from sea to land. This coastal, daytime phenomenon is strongest in the afternoon when the temperature difference is greatest. The other options don’t describe this coastal, land-sea interaction: trade winds are persistent global winds near the equator, Chinook winds are mountain-induced warm winds on the leeward side, and a squall is a sudden, heavy gust or storm not tied to coast-driven heating.

A sea breeze is a wind that forms near the coast and blows from sea to land. It happens when the land heats up faster than the adjacent sea during the day, causing air over the land to rise and create a local low pressure. Cooler air over the sea moves toward the shore to replace the rising air, producing onshore flow from sea to land. This coastal, daytime phenomenon is strongest in the afternoon when the temperature difference is greatest. The other options don’t describe this coastal, land-sea interaction: trade winds are persistent global winds near the equator, Chinook winds are mountain-induced warm winds on the leeward side, and a squall is a sudden, heavy gust or storm not tied to coast-driven heating.