Coastal places have milder temperature swings than inland areas at the same latitude.

The longer version

Water changes temperature slowly because it stores a great deal of heat and mixes it through a deep layer. Land has no such reservoir, so it heats and cools quickly. A coastal place therefore sits beside a surface that stays close to the same temperature all year.

Onshore winds carry that moderating influence inland, damping both summer heat and winter cold. Areas far from the ocean miss out entirely and swing much further between seasons. The same effect narrows the gap between day and night temperatures near the shore, and it is why islands often have the steadiest weather of all.

Where this entry sits

Clouds, wind, rain, and storms shape daily life in ways that most people barely notice. This collection explains snow, lightning, rainbows, the turning seasons, temperature, the instruments forecasters rely on, and scraps of old weather lore. The full list sits on the Weather and Climate page, where every entry is listed in order.