Quasi‐trajectory analysis of a sea‐breeze front

Observations from a parachute‐borne omegasonde that executed a trajectory through, along, and up and over the head of a sea breeze are analysed. This sea‐breeze head is shown to have similar characteristics to those of a gravity current. A deep lobe/cleft combination was observed at the front where continental air was entrained into the sea‐breeze air. Observed vertical motion near the sea‐breeze front exceeded 5 ms⁻¹ and the sonde rose into a cloud that had formed in rising continental air over this front. An evaporatively cooled downdraught from this cloud was observed to be entrained through the turbulent wake region and deep into the sea‐breeze head.