ABSTRACT
The flow of the local winds around surface irregularities generates swirls which eventually cause frictional heat, i.e. increased vibration of the air molecules. A new method of determining the surface winds anywhere at sea involves an orbiting satellite which sends a radar beam onto the waves and then measures the back-scatter. A sea breeze brings welcome relief in hot weather in summer, especially if the front arrives before mid-afternoon, thus preventing temperatures reaching their normal maximum. Land breezes are usually strongest offshore, and may propagate as a density current more than 100 km out to sea, possibly triggering nocturnal thunderstorms over the relatively warm waters. The surface wind is a major factor controlling the distribution and concentration of air pollutants in urban atmospheres.
