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Weather theoryQuestion 319 of 934

What causes a land breeze at night?

  1. Land cools slower than water, so air over the land rises
  2. Water heats faster than land, so air over the water sinks
  3. A nearby front pushes the air offshore at night
  4. Land cools faster than water, so air over the water rises
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Correct answer: Land cools faster than water, so air over the water rises

At night land and its air cool faster than water. Air over the water rises, and cooler land air replaces it. This is an offshore land breeze.

Source: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 12: Weather Theory — Convective Currents, page 292

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Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026