A Study of the Mesoscale Wind Circulation in a Land-Sea Breeze Regime

Abstract

The mesoscale wind circulation along the central Oregon coast is investigated by use of surface data gathered during the Coastal Upwelling Experiment 2 (CUE-2). A case with prevailing NNW winds, typical of the general pattern, was studied intensely and was compared with results from a similar study for a SE flow. Buoy and coastal land station data provide time series and diurnal plots of: 1) the air and sea surface temperature; 2) the horizontal wind components; and 3) the wind speed. The case with prevailing NNW winds (26?28 July 1973) had the following important characteristics: 1) a well-defined sea breeze event with supporting coastal temperature differential and less significant land breeze; 2) the formation of an eddy south of Cape Lookout; and 3) strong upwelling and sea surface temperatures affected by surface winds. In contrast, the case with SE winds (23?24 August 1973) showed only a noticeable sea breeze event with half the coastal temperature differential of the previous case. It is strongly suggested that the mesoscale surface winds and the factors that influence them in this region he studied further if sea surface temperature forecasts are to be made.