Why cloudy nights are warmer

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Simply apply as teacher, take eligibility test and start working with us. Required desktop or laptop with internet connection. Why are cloudy nights warmer than …. This question was previously asked in. Clouds prevent the escape of heat from the ground Absorb sunlight during the day and radiate the same at night Clouds make the atmosphere damp and generate heat Clouds obstruct the movement of air which creates heat. Learn today! Start Now. The correct answer is Clouds prevent the escape of heat from the ground.

The cloudy skies are like a blanket and the warmer air on the ground with us tries to leave and the clouds stop it from leaving. Warmer air will always try to move up and it cannot do so because of the clouds. That's why you might notice that cloudy nights are warmer than clear nights. Key Points Cloudy nights are warmer compared to clear cloudless nights because clouds reflect back the heat given off by the earth.

At night cloud cover has the opposite effect. If skies are clear, more heat reaches the ground leading to warmer temperatures.

Additional Information On cloudy days , clouds reflect the sun's light into space, keeping much of the energy away from the surface and leading to cooler temperatures. The airborne water molecules are called water vapor.

When the molecules are bouncing around in the atmosphere, they don't normally stick together. Clouds on Earth form when warm air rises and its pressure is reduced. The air expands and cools, and clouds form as the temperature drops below the dew point. When it is cloudy, the clouds absorb hold some of the heat so it can't escape. Clouds also reflect some of the heat back towards the earth. Sometimes it gets even warmer on cloudy days because of advection.

Advection is the movement of heat, cold, and moisture when air moves when there is wind. But I could be "swayed" by a confirmation bias here, so here is my question:. Very much so. It's called radiative cooling. Three factors come into play: cloudiness, relative humidity, and windiness. Nighttime radiative cooling is greatest under clear skies, low relative humidity, and light or no winds.

The temperature drop in degrees per hour can be a factor of more than four greater under conditions of clear skies, low humidity, and light winds compared to that under conditions of thick low clouds and high relative humidity. That increased cooling can make for a significant temperature drop on a long winter night. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams?

Learn more. Are cloudy nights warmer than nights without clouds? Ask Question. Asked 6 years, 10 months ago. Active 5 years, 9 months ago.

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