Gizmo: Coastal Winds & Clouds
1. Click play and watch for 24 hours, focusing on the sailboat. Click pause when the sailboat starts moving
towards the shore. This represents the start of the sea breeze. What time is it? _____________
2. Click play, then pause when the sailboat starts moving out to sea again. This represents the start of the
land breeze. What time is it? ____________
3. Click play and watch the clouds for a day. What do you notice? The morning clouds move toward the
( land / sea ) and the afternoon clouds move toward the ( land / sea )
4. Reset and turn on the Weather Probe. Drag the weather probe so that it is on the ocean’s surface
(altitude 0 ft.) and record the air temperature. The repeat with the probe on the land. Finally move
the probe to the land-sea boundary and record the type of breeze (sea or land) and wind speed.
Record data below:
Time Ocean air Land Sea breeze or Wind speed
temperature °F Temperature °F Land breeze? (mph)
6:00 A.M.
9:00 A.M.
12:00 P.M.
3:00 P.M.
6:00 P.M.
9:00 P.M.
12:00 A.M.
3:00 A.M.
5. Calculate the temperature range for both the ocean air column and land air temperature column
by subtracting the lowest temperature from the highest:
o How much does the temperature over the ocean change in one day? ___________
o How much does the temperature over the land change in one day?_____________
6. Compare and Analyze:
o At 6:00 A.M. the warmest air was over the ( ocean / land ) and the breeze blew (from the land to
the ocean / from the ocean to the land )
o At 6:00 P.M. the warmest air was over the ( ocean / land ) and the breeze blew (from the land to the
ocean / from the ocean to the land )
From this data we learn that land breezes always blow when the ______________________ air is
warmer than the __________________ air. Sea breezes always blow when the ________________
air is warmer than the __________________ air.
o Look at the wind speed and analyze. The greatest wind speed occurs when ( the land and ocean air
temperatures are close / there is a large difference between the land and ocean air temperatures ).
7. Click reset. Turn on the drifting balloon. Click Play and watch for 48 hours. Pause whenever the balloon
changes direction.
o The balloon drifts in a (clockwise / counterclockwise ) direction from about midnight to 9:00 A.M.
The balloon drifts in a (clockwise / counterclockwise ) direction from about 9:00 P.M. to midnight.
o The balloon moves most quickly at _____________ P.M.
8. Gather data: The diagram at right shows
The scene at 6:00 A.M. Use the
Weather Probe to find and label
the temperatures at each of the
numbered locations.
Next, find the wind direction between
those points on the diagram. Draw
arrows to represent in which
direction the air is blowing.
9. Analyze. The hottest air is moving ( upward / downward). The coldest air is (upward / downward ).
This circular pattern of movement is called a _____________________________ current (see vocabulary list)
10. Gather data: The diagram at right shows
The scene at 3:00 P.M. Use the
Weather Probe to find and label
the temperatures at each of the
numbered locations.
Next, find the wind direction between
those points on the diagram. Draw
arrows to represent in which
direction the air is blowing
11. What caused the wind to blow in a counterclockwise direction in the afternoon? The air over the land
heats more (slowly / quickly ) than air over the ocean. The warm air over the land ( rises / sinks )
while cooler air rushes in. The cool air over the ocean ( rises / sinks ) and warmer air above the land
spreads out over the ocean. This results in a counterclockwise convection current.
12. Place the Weather Probe at the land-sea boundary. Click Pause when the sea breeze is strongest.
What do you notice in the sky at this time ? ( clear sky / clouds and thunderstorms )
Click play and pause when the land breeze is strongest. What do you notice in the sky at this time ?
(clear sky / clouds and thunderstorms ).
14. Analyze: Clouds often form when a large mass of warm, moist air rises quickly and cools resulting in
condensation of the water vapor. That’s why we see clouds forming around 3:00 P.M. and 6:00
A.M.. Those are the times when there is a (weak / strong ) convection current which carries the
warm air (upward / downward ), causing cooling and condensation. This causes clouds to form at
these times.
