Mesoscale Wind Field Modifications over the Baltic Sea

For two consecutive days during spring 1997, the windfield over the Baltic Sea has been studied. Thestrength of the geostrophic wind speed is the majordifference in synoptic conditions between these twodays. During both days, the mesoscale wind field overmost of the Baltic Sea is quite heterogeneous; themodifications primarily being caused by the land-seacontrasts. On the day with the weaker wind speed,sea-breeze circulations develop. As a consequence, thewind direction at lower levels is more or lessopposite to the geostrophic over large areas of theBaltic Sea and the surface wind speed decreases withoffshore distance. Wind speed maxima caused by the seabreezes are found along the east coasts in the studiedarea. For the other day, the slow growth of a stableinternal boundary layer over the sea also gives asurface wind speed decrease with offshore distancefrom the coast.