Taken a trip down to Port A or Rockport lately? Perhaps you noticed that the beach feels a *little* cooler than when you’re farther inland.
As you might have guessed, it has everything to do with the water. On a hot summer day, the land will heat up much faster than the water surface. So, the air over the land is subsequently hotter than the air above the Gulf waters. With that in mind, we fall back on our old science lessons. Remember, warm air is lighter than cool air and as a result, warm air rises. That means the warm air over land will be rising. The cooler air over the water then moves towards land to replace the rising air. This is what we call a sea breeze. Interestingly, at night, the opposite can happen since the land surface cools faster than the water.
The sea breeze can also advance inland during the daytime hours, acting like a mini front. On occasion, it can kick up a quick shower or storm.
Regardless, it’s still hot along the beach. We’re only talking a few degrees here. But, I suppose every little bit helps. Enjoy the beach and make sure and wear that sunscreen!
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