MadSci Network: Earth Sciences
Query:

Re: What will it be, If we didnt have clouds?

Date: Thu Jan 8 12:02:41 2009
Posted By: Edward Hyer, Post-doc/Fellow, Aerosol Group, Marine Meteorology Division, Naval Research Lab
Area of science: Earth Sciences
ID: 1231198765.Es
Message:

Basically, it would be warmer during the day, and colder at night. 

Clouds are made of water: liquid water, water ice, and water vapor. Clouds
change how the Earth system behaves because water is very different from
dry air.

During the day, clouds keep us cool, because some light from the sun
reflects off the cloud tops and never reaches the surface. At night, clouds
keep us warm because the cloud absorbs heat given off by the Earth's
surface and sends some of it back downward.

We will always have clouds, as long as we have the sun shining down on
lakes and rivers and the oceans. But the frequency of clouds can change
enough to make a big difference, over time.


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