Land And Sea Breezes Marine Layer Advection & Radiation Fog

Land & Sea Breezes Sea Breeze- Occurs during the day, when land is warmer than the water. Air flows from cooler water surface to warmer land surface. Land Breeze- Occurs at night, when water is warmer than the land. Air flows from the cooler land surface to the warmer water surface

Marine Layer Develops over the surface of a large body of water such as the ocean in the presence of a temperature inversion. The inversion itself is usually initiated by the cooling effect of the water on the surface layer of an otherwise warm air mass. As it cools, the surface air becomes denser than the warmer air above it, and thus becomes trapped below it. Can be seen along the coast of California.

Marine Layer Continued The offshore marine layer is typically propelled inland by a pressure gradient which develops as a result of intense heating inland, blanketing coastal communities in cooler air which, if saturated, also contains fog. The fog can last until midday when the heat of the sun is frequently strong enough to evaporate it. This phenomenon is common in the late spring and early summer.

Fog Occurs when a cloud is at or near the surface.

Advection Fog Forms when warm moist air moves over a cooler surface Occurs mainly along the California Coast Occurs during the Summer monsoons

Radiation Fog Forms at night when temp of air at the ground cools to dew point and condensation occurs Is seen in Sacramento, CA and Fresno, CA (Central Valley Area) Autumn and early winter