What happens to temperature and precipitation as one moves inland and away from water bodies?

I know that land heats and cools faster than water bodies.

You're right.

I live about 30 miles east of Lake Michigan. The lake keeps our temperatures more moderate than inland areas -- a little warmer in the winter and a little cooler in the summer. Chicago's summer weather reports always state, "Cooler near the lake." We also tend to get a little more precipitation -- often in the form of lake-effect snow.

As you mentioned, land does indeed heat and cool faster than water bodies. This characteristic has a significant impact on temperature and precipitation patterns as one moves inland.

Temperature tends to change more dramatically inland compared to near water bodies. During the daytime, land heats up more quickly than water, leading to higher temperatures over land areas. At night, land also cools down faster, resulting in cooler temperatures compared to coastal areas. This temperature difference is known as a land-sea breeze effect, where the temperature contrast drives the movement of air from water to land during the day and from land to water during the night.

Precipitation patterns also change as you move inland. Water bodies like oceans, seas, and large lakes act as moisture sources, evaporating water into the atmosphere. This moisture-laden air then moves inland and encounters cooler temperatures over the land. Cool air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air, so as it moves inland, the moisture condenses and can lead to increased precipitation in coastal regions.

However, as the air continues to move further inland, away from the moisture source, it gradually loses its moisture content, resulting in decreased precipitation amounts. This creates a "rain shadow" effect, where the land on the leeward side of mountain ranges can become drier as it is shielded from the moisture-laden winds that predominantly come from the direction of the water bodies.

In summary, as one moves inland and away from water bodies, temperatures tend to fluctuate more rapidly, with hotter days and cooler nights compared to coastal areas. Precipitation patterns also change, with coastal regions experiencing more rainfall due to moisture-laden air from water sources, whereas further inland, precipitation tends to decrease, especially in rain shadow areas.