A simplified theory of the generation of sea breezes

The equations of heating and motion are averaged vertically, assuming vertical distributions of velocity and temperature. A non‐linear partial differential equation of hyperbolic type is found to be satisfied by the surface velocity of the sea breeze. Numerical solutions are given for varying heating rates and for a superposed off‐shore wind. The method of integration of the equations leads to a spurious stable oscillation in the solutions and this is shown to be associated with the finite difference method used. Using dimensional analysis, a criterion for the prediction of the occurrence of sea breezes is suggested.