For one thing, they blow offshore, so you might have to be on a boat or an island to feel them at their strongest. To read about why, go to the optional section on Differences Between Sea Breezes and Land Breezes . Their effect on temperature and precipitation is minimal. Their biggest impact is offshore, where they may be responsible for the early morning maximum in convection seen offshore along the Gulf coast and the southeastern United States. A coastal front is a special type of front that is common along the East Coast of the United States, among other places, particularly in late fall and early winter.
Coastal fronts are rare in Texas, but when they do occur, weather forecasts are often wildly wrong.
Coastal fronts form when a very cold airmass blows parallel to a coastline or warm nearshore current such as the Gulf Stream. Just like a sea breeze, part of the air is warmed, and a circulation develops with cold air blowing toward warm. The ideal situation starts out with a northeast wind along the coast, parallel to the coast and to the Gulf Stream. Friction helps by deflecting the flow over land slightly to the left, producing extra convergence along the coast. As the situation evolves, the large-scale winds shift to the east or southeast, but winds over land remain northeasterly as the front intensifies.