How does the level of cloud cover influence diurnal range?

Study for the L3W Growing Environment Test. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with detailed explanations. Prepare effectively for your exam!

Cloud cover significantly influences the diurnal range, which is the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures over a 24-hour period. When there is substantial cloud cover, it acts as an insulating layer. During the day, clouds reflect sunlight and reduce solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, which prevents temperatures from rising as high as they would on a clear day. Conversely, at night, clouds trap heat radiating from the surface, preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere. This insulation effect reduces both the daytime high and the nighttime low, resulting in a smaller diurnal range.

In contrast, on clear days and nights, the absence of cloud cover allows for greater temperature extremes—higher temperatures during the day due to more solar heat and cooler temperatures at night as heat is lost more readily. Thus, options which suggest that cloud cover has no influence, increases temperature fluctuations, or affects soil moisture levels do not accurately encapsulate the insulating effect of clouds on temperature variations.

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