How does cloud cover affect the earth's surface?

Answer 1

Clouds are able to keep areas of the planet warmer at night by trapping outgoing longwave radiation (infrared radiation). During the daytime, shortwave radiation (UV, Visible Light) is absorbed by the planet's surface. At night, the radiation is released as longwave radiation and normally escapes back into outer space, which is why the temperature drops over night.
However, if clouds are covering an area, that outgoing longwave radiation will be "trapped", and the temperature at the surface will not decrease as much.
Research the planet Venus to find out how this phenomenon can drastically alter the climate of a planet.





Well, clouds themselves don't "keep Earth warm", but it is all the atmosphere that helps keep Earth warm.

To answer your question, the atmosphere helps keep Earth warm by producing a "greenhouse effect". This Greenhouse effect helps trap in infrared radiation (heat), which makes Earth stay warm, even at night.

To make something you can picture, the clouds and the atmosphere are like a blanket over Earth, and that "blanket" keeps Earth warm.

Answer 2

Clouds absorb radiant energy from the surface of the earth (that is heated up throughout the day). Clouds can then re-emit this heat energy into the surrounding air (this usually happens through the phase change of water from a gaseous state to a liquid or solid state as occurs when it rains, snows, or dew forms (which is an energy loss process). I learned this in my undergraduate studies in physics and have had many arguments on the subject since. It is my understanding that clouds do not insulate but rather radiate heat energy.

Answer 3

Yes, they are part of the often forgotten negative feedback of a warming planet. As temperatures increase, so does water vapor. With increases in water vapor, there are associated increases with cloud cover, which in turn increases albedo (reflection). Currently over 28% of the sun's energy is reflected on its way into our atmosphere. 16% is absorbed on the way in, most of this by clouds and ozone. Clouds also have a warming effect, in that they retain heat that would otherwise escape to space.

Answer 4

About 25% of the sun's energy that reaches Earth is reflected back into space by clouds. Low-altitude clouds, which are thick and reflect more sunlight, help to cool Earth. On the other hand, thin, high-altitude clouds absorb some of the energy that radiates from Earth. Part of this energy is reradiated back to Earth's surface. This warms Earth because this energy is not directly lost to space.

Answer 5

One way clouds affect Earth is by helping to regulate the Earth's temperature. The clouds keep heat from escaping at night and help block some of the sunlight during the day.

Answer 6

CLouds can portects Earth by bloking extreme heat that can

kill the human\animal\rrodent\bugs\plant live on Earth.

Answer 7

Clouds protect Earth by balancing the temperature. Clouds shield Earth from the Sun when its very hot and allow sunlight in when its cold.

Answer 8

clouds block some of the suns rays, so they dont hit the earths surface

Answer 9

Cooler by day, warmer by night.