Which wind pattern is typical during the day in mountainous terrain?

Which wind pattern is typical during the day in mountainous terrain?

• A. Valley breeze
• B. Sea breeze
• C. Land breeze
• D. Valley breeze

Answer: (D)

During the day, solar heating warms the valley floor, causing the air there to rise. This creates an upslope flow as cooler air from the valley moves up to replace the rising air along the mountain slopes. That daytime upslope breeze in mountainous terrain is a valley breeze. The sea breeze and land breeze are coastal phenomena (sea breeze arises from land heating versus cooler sea air; land breeze is a nighttime offshore flow from land to sea), so they don’t describe the daytime mountain environment. The valley breeze specifically captures the daytime mountain-valley circulation, making it the best fit.

During the day, solar heating warms the valley floor, causing the air there to rise. This creates an upslope flow as cooler air from the valley moves up to replace the rising air along the mountain slopes. That daytime upslope breeze in mountainous terrain is a valley breeze. The sea breeze and land breeze are coastal phenomena (sea breeze arises from land heating versus cooler sea air; land breeze is a nighttime offshore flow from land to sea), so they don’t describe the daytime mountain environment. The valley breeze specifically captures the daytime mountain-valley circulation, making it the best fit.