Why is the desert so hot?
The desert is hot because the sun shines down with almost no clouds.
Pip’s answer
- The desert is hot because the sun shines down with almost no clouds.
- Deserts get very little rain, so the ground is dry and warms fast.
- Hot sand warms the air above it, like a giant sunny blanket.
- Ooh, at night with no cloud blanket, deserts can get chilly! Brrr!
For grown-ups
Deserts are defined by very little rain. Clear skies let lots of sunlight reach the ground, and dry ground heats quickly. Without clouds or moisture to trap heat at night, temperatures can drop sharply, so many deserts are hot by day and cold at night. Some deserts, like Antarctica, are cold all year.
Ask your child: Did you know the biggest desert in the world is icy Antarctica?
More questions kids ask
- ☀️Why is the sun so hot?
- 🐪Why do camels have humps?
- 🧊Why is the North Pole so cold?
- 🌤️Why is the sky blue?
- 🌅Why are sunsets orange?
- 🌈Why are there rainbows?
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