LEAD-TO-LEARN
EXPLORING THE LAND/SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS
WORK SHEET
Introduction
In this activity you will interact with numerical model output from the
Global Forecast System (GFS) to explore the land/sea breeze circulation. You will use a case study that
covers the event that occurred in Florida on September 1, 2005.
Objectives
By the end of this module you should be able to:
Identify atmospheric variables important in the formation of the land/sea breeze circulation
Explain and identify the role and effect of each ingredient in the formation of the land/sea breeze circulation
Analyze and identify these ingredients in a real data environment through a case study
Background
Land and sea breezes are thermally induced circulations which occur along
coastal boundaries, usually from spring to autumn. The sea breeze circulation
blows onshore and forms during the day when the land becomes warmer than the
ocean (due to the difference in heat capacity of water and land), clear conditions
are present, and synoptic scale flow is relatively weak. The land breeze
blows offshore and forms during the evening when the land becomes cooler
than the ocean. Convection, coastal winds, and coastal fog are all effects
of land and sea breezes. This module will discuss the circulation in the
following sections:
1) Temperature/Synoptic Conditions
2) Evolution of the Land/Sea Breeze Circulation
4) Effects
of the Land/Sea Breeze Circulation
Click on the link for the sea_breeze.xidv bundle. Two main windows should appear; the Display Window and the Data Selector Window. Various Parameter Windows will also appear. Once the bundle is loaded, proceed to the next section.
NOTE: In some instances, the IDV bundle loads properly but appears to be frozen (Bundle will not loop and parameters will not show up when checked). If this occurs, go to “File”, then “New” > “Display Window” >“Map Display” > “One Pane”. A new display window should appear and the bundle will now be fully functional.