Why Is the Afternoon Often the Hottest Part of a Desert Day?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why is the afternoon often the hottest part of a desert day?

The Big Idea

You might expect noon to be the hottest time, but the afternoon is usually hotter! The ground keeps soaking up sunshine and passing heat to the air all afternoon. The temperature usually peaks around three or four o'clock.

Ground Soaks Heat

Step one: the ground soaks up heat. From sunrise, the Sun warms the ground, and the ground warms the air above it. At noon the Sun is highest, but the ground is still heating up.

Gain Beats Loss

Step two: gain beats loss. As long as the ground gains more heat than it loses, the air keeps warming. So the temperature keeps rising after noon.

Then It Cools

Step three: then it cools. Around three or four o'clock, the temperature peaks and starts to fall as the Sun drops lower. The cooling goes on all night.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! At sunrise, the day starts cool. At noon, the Sun is highest. The heat peaks in the afternoon. The coldest time comes just before sunrise. A desert day is a heat roller coaster.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! The afternoon, around three or four o'clock, is often hottest. Cooling continues all night until just before sunrise. That is when it is coldest. Stay in the shade and indoors during the hottest hours.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, check an outdoor thermometer at 9 AM, noon, 3 PM, and 6 PM. Write down each number. Which time was the warmest? Was it what you expected?

Outro

The ground keeps heating the air, so afternoon is often the hottest time. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!