How can it be hot in the middle of the night?

Question

I live in a valley and I assume that might have something to do with it. How can it still be 98 degrees at 9 o clock in the evening without constant sun beating down on us why doesnt the air just chill out, literally?

Answer 1

It probably depends on where you live and how hot it gets at night. In the desert for example, in the summer it can get up into the 120s. I suppose that it can only cool down so much, despite the really dry air. In fact, i saw just a few minutes ago on the weather channel that Death Valley, CA got up to like 127 yesterday and the overnight low was 101.

Answer 2

The valley probably does have something to do with it.  If you have downsloping winds off the mountains, the air will warm as it descends, due to compression.  I've seen it has been rather hot in the valleys in the western U.S. the past several days, if that is your location, then downsloping winds is likely your main reason.  But also consider that if it was a hot day, the earth is still radiating heat, and if atmospheric conditions are right, that heat won't escape to the atmosphere as efficiently as it normally does, essentially trapping the heat near the surface.

Answer 3

With the ground still being hot from the sun during the day it is most likely the the heat radiating up from it. Also if it is cloudy outside the heat finds it hard to escape and the night will stay warm.

Answer 4

There could be warm air advection occurring. Its either that, or something is not allowing much long-wave radiation to escape the Earth's surface.