What Causes the ‘Breeze’ on a Sunny Day?

Sometimes, when the sun shines brightly, we feel like there's a little breeze even if it’s not blowing. This happens because warm air rises and cooler air moves in to take its place, kind of like a dance between hot and cold! When you’re sitting still in the sunlight, the air near your body warms up, goes up, and cooler air from around you rushes in to fill its spot. That rush is what feels like a breeze.

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Examples

You’re sitting on the beach in the sun, and suddenly you feel a cool gust of air, it's the thermal breeze coming from the water.
Your mom is baking cookies, and when you open the oven door, a warm rush of air hits your face, that’s a mini breeze made by rising hot air.
You're in the park on a sunny afternoon, and as you sit down on a bench, a light breeze makes your hair move, it's just the air around you reacting to the heat.

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Categories: Environment · weather,heat,air movement