havsbris

Havsbris is a local coastal wind phenomenon characterized by a daytime onshore breeze along coastlines. It develops when the land heats up faster than the adjacent sea surface, causing the air over the land to rise and create a shallow low pressure near the coast. Cooler air from the sea moves toward the land at low levels to replace the rising air, producing a persistent onshore flow that may extend several tens of kilometres inland. At higher levels, air often returns from the land to the sea, maintaining a complete sea–air circulation.

The onset typically begins in late morning and strengthens through the afternoon, commonly fading after sunset as surface temperatures even out. Wind speeds are usually light to moderate, often a few meters per second, with gusts near the sea‑breeze front that can be stronger. The strength and inland reach of havsbris depend on factors such as coast geometry (long straight coasts, bays, inlets), local sea-surface temperatures, and synoptic conditions such as a high-pressure system over the interior.

A sea‑breeze front may form at the boundary between the cooler onshore air and warmer air inland, sometimes producing a visible line of clouds and affecting local weather along the shore. In addition to climate and daily weather, havsbris influences maritime and recreational activity, coastal windsplitting and wind-energy potential.

See also: land breeze, coastal meteorology.