Climate scientists believe that global warming reduces the difference between air temperatures during the day and at night. Until now, researchers had not focused on this phenomenon resulting from climate changes, as their long-term calculations and predictions only considered average temperature. The difference between nighttime and daytime temperatures is important for many processes occurring on Earth. For instance, this difference is crucial for growing and harvesting crops to prevent plant frost, for heating facilities, and for human and animal health, as cooler summer nights significantly mitigate the effects of heat on the human body. However, if nighttime temperatures do not drop, problems may arise.
Researchers from several universities in the United States, Japan, and China decided to study this issue in detail. They used a supercomputer from Tsukuba University in Japan to create a very detailed model with a precision of two square kilometers, knowing that climate models typically have a precision of 100 square kilometers. They utilized temperature data and other weather parameters from the early 21st century (2005-2014) and climate change scenarios for the end of this century. They also considered the amount of rainfall and soil moisture. So, what were the final prediction results?
The answer was: "Temperatures will rise during the day and night." This is not new information. However, it turned out that daytime temperatures will increase more slowly than nighttime temperatures in many parts of the world. The reason lies in the increasing number of clouds, which will prevent the sun from heating the air during the day. Conversely, at night, the clouds will protect the Earth from rapid cooling. As a result, the difference between nighttime and daytime temperatures will be less than it is now. Will the difference be significant? - No, just 0.25 to 0.5 degrees Celsius. This is despite the fact that precise indicators depend on local features.
Professor at the University of Texas, Dave Newguy, stated, "It is extremely difficult to predict how clouds will change due to global warming." Meanwhile, his colleague at Tsukuba University, Zuan Kwang, expressed confidence that clouds play a key role in climate changes and daily temperatures, as they affect the amount of solar radiation and heat exchange between the Earth's surface or oceans and the atmosphere. The difference between night and daytime air temperatures is important for the life of humans, animals, and plants.
