A
sea breeze or
onshore breeze is a gentle
wind that develops over
bodies of water near
land due to differences in
air pressure created by their different
heat capacity. It is a common occurrence along coasts during the morning as
solar radiation heats the land more quickly than the water. A
land breeze or
offshore breeze is the reverse effect, caused by land cooling more quickly than water in the evening. The sea breeze dissipates and the wind flows from the land towards the sea. Both are important factors in coastal regions'
prevailing winds.