CLOUDS HELP TEMPS OVERNIGHT — Clouds are an important factor when forecasting temperatures and conditions. I often say that clouds are our friends when it comes to overnight temperatures because lows can only fall so much with clouds present.
Moisture helps to stabilize our temperatures by locking them into a certain range of highs and lows, but at night clouds help maintain leftover heat from the daylight hours.
This keeps our temperatures from falling too quickly overnight and helps maintain some degrees. Clouds act as a blanket in bouncing heat, that naturally lifts, back toward the ground. When forecasting lows, we have to consider this because it makes a difference in the overnight temperature. On a near winter night such as this, we are thankful for moisture hanging around in the form of clouds.
A good comparison to some of the forecasting with and without clouds present is tonight vs. Saturday night.
