Land heats up and cools down much faster than water due to differences in specific heat capacity. Coastal areas benefit from the moderating influence of large water bodies, experiencing smaller temperature fluctuations. Continental interiors, far from oceanic influence, experience greater extremes of temperature between seasons. Altitude differences are more relevant to local temperature variations rather than the broad continental vs. coastal annual range. Strong winds can redistribute heat but are not the primary cause of the fundamental difference in annual temperature range.