How do clouds affect temperature?
Clouds can have both warming and cooling effects on temperature.
1. Clouds have a warming effect because they act as a blanket, trapping heat emitted from the Earth's surface. This creates a greenhouse effect, where the clouds prevent heat from escaping into space and thus warming up the atmosphere.
2. On the other hand, clouds also have a cooling effect through a process called albedo. Albedo is the ability of a surface to reflect sunlight. Clouds reflect incoming solar radiation back into space, reducing the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth's surface. This can lead to a decrease in temperature.
The overall effect of clouds on temperature depends on factors such as cloud cover, type of clouds, altitude of clouds, and time of day. In general, clouds have a moderating effect on temperature by trapping heat during the day and preventing it from escaping at night.