Why does wind direction reverse in coastal areas at night?

At night, coastal winds reverse direction and blow from land to sea, creating a land breeze. This reversal occurs because land cools down much more rapidly than water after sunset. Water has a high specific heat capacity, meaning it retains heat longer, so the ocean remains relatively warm through the night. As the land surface cools, the air above it becomes denser and creates a high-pressure area. The ocean, still holding daytime heat, keeps the air above it warmer and at relatively lower pressure. Following the same principle as daytime circulation, air flows from the cooler, higher-pressure land toward the warmer, lower-pressure sea. This daily cycle of sea and land breezes demonstrates fundamental principles of convection and differential heating.