Why does the beach feel so hot?

Sand is a poor conductor of heat so when the Sun warms the sand, the heat is not distributed evenly, making the surface hot. Also the specific heat of sand is lower than that of water so when both are exposed to the same amount of light, the sand at the surface will have a higher change in temperature.



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Water takes a lot more energy to heat up and cool down than land does. Because of this, our summers are always cooler right at the beaches, and our winters are typically warmer. Living along the shoreline does have its benefits.

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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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AND YES, THE WATER DOES INTENSIFY THE SUN'S RAYS. And the reason you've been waiting to hear, confirmed — yes, the sun does reflect off of the ocean (or lake or swimming pool) and its rays are intensified as they reach your skin, making your more susceptible to a sunburn.

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In the summer months, the water off of Miami gets as hot as 86 degrees on average. Second highest is off the west coast of Kauai in the Hawaiian island chain, which reaches 83 degrees on average. During the winter months, the west coast of Kauai is the hottest at about 77 degrees average.

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