Why does it feel cooler at the beach?

National Weather Service meteorologist Walter Drag explains that it occurs due to the difference between the warm air over land and cool air hovering over the ocean. “What you have is, when wind increases during the day, cooler air is heavier, and it's drawn inland, replacing the warmer air that's rising.



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It's courtesy of the sea breeze effect. National Weather Service meteorologist Walter Drag explains that it occurs due to the difference between the warm air over land and cool air hovering over the ocean (currently around 50 degrees).

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Water has a higher heat capacity than soil and rock, so the ocean takes much longer to heat and to cool than the land. Coastal areas will generally have more moderate temperatures than inland areas because of the heat capacity of the ocean.

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The difference is about three to four degrees, not a big difference, meteorologist Kate Guillet of the National Weather Service in Jacksonville said Wednesday. With sea breezes along the coast, it's cooler at the beach, she said.

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Ocean Effect Near the beach is much cooler than it is just over a small set of mountains. The sea air keeps things warmer at night and cooler during the day. This is because of the atmospheric mixing and local winds that are created.

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There's no real optimal temperature, but many people feel “comfortable” swimming in water that is 70° to 78° Fahrenheit.

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Above the ocean the air cools down due to the colder temperatures of the ocean water. This leads to the air becoming denser and a local high air pressure zone. The difference in air pressures above the beach and ocean is what causes the air movement we perceive as wind.

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Although beach vacations are synonymous with summer, they are just as fun and fulfilling during the colder months, especially with the sun providing refuge from the dipping temperatures.

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