Sun Heats

During the day, the sun heats up both the ocean surface and the land. Water is a good absorber of the
energy from the sun. The land absorbs much of the sun's energy as well. However, water heats up much
more slowly than land and so the air above the land will be warmer compared to the air over the ocean.
The warm air over the land will rise throughout the day, causing low pressure at the surface. Over the
water, high surface pressure will form because of the colder air. To compensate, the air will sink over the
ocean. The wind will blow from the higher pressure over the water to lower pressure over the land
causing the sea breeze. The sea breeze strength will vary depending on the temperature difference
between the land and the ocean.