why is the sun out but it is dammm cold?

Answer 1

The sun always provides the same amount of energy to the earth,
BUT:

1. In the fall and winter, it is lower in the sky, so its rays come to the earth at a shallow angle and are spread over a larger area, providing less heat energy to each square foot of earth. (But when it's fall or winter for us, it's spring or summer in the opposite hemisphere. So that hemisphere sees the sun HIGHER in the sky, and its rays fall more vertically and provide MORE heat energy per square foot of the earth there.

2. If the air is cold and the wind is blowing, you will feel cold, even at the same time that the sun is adding heat to the scene. It just isn't heating you fast enough to offset the rate at which the cold air is taking heat away from you.

3. If there is a cloud cover, the sun does not heat people and objects directly, and some of its energy is reflected away (back into space). But that cloud cover also holds heat in by keeping the earth's heat from radiating to space.

(Actually, the sun's distance from the earth changes slightly during the year, so it provides a little more heat to the earth in some months than others. January is the month when the sun is closest, so it provides us more heat in that month. But the difference is insignificant compared to the effect from having the sun lower in the sky (and the reduced length of daylight) at that time of year in the northern hemisphere.)

Answer 2

Because of the air temperature. Large bodies of air move about the planet. I'm afraid that the air that is sitting over us a the moment came from the pole and is cold. It should warm up in the sun but unfortunately we don't get enough sun light at this time of year to off set the heat lost at night (which is why it get colder in the winter). If there is no cloud cover (like today) the rate of heat loss is much higher which is why cloudless nights are colder.

I fact we are closer to the sun in the winter than the summer.

Answer 3

Its the Earths angle - in the Winter the Northern Hemisphere is angled slightly away from the sun, there is therefore more atmosphere between the sun and the ground, and less daylight heating the atmosphere (and ground when it is clear).

At the moment we have cold winds coming from the north, and there is not enough sunlight hitting this wind to warm it before it hits us.

Answer 4

Hi,I live in the North East the wind is bitter.I have just got back from walking my dog & im freezing its time for winter woollies.Will have to get a pair of gloves.I think we have been lucky,we had a long summer now its winter time.Baton down the hatches.

Answer 5

During the winter months the earth is further from the sun as we travel in a oval type shape. As the spring comes we will be getting closer and come summer we will be basking in the glorious sunshine again.

Answer 6

We're having beauuuuuutiful weather. It's in the 60's right now, with a high of 71 in the afternoon for the 3rd day in a row. Simply lovely.

Answer 7

Err, could it because of the time of year??, Winter is coming, cycle of the seasons, North wind blowing and bringing cooler air down from the Artic, high pressure all these sorts of things??, purely a guess though.....

Answer 8

Coz there is a cold wind coming from Norway towards us and there are no clouds in the sky to retain the wind, well........summit like that anyway!

Answer 9

Derrrr, Because it's October!

Answer 10

The sun is farther from the Earth now (in the northern hemisphere) and doesn't warm us as much.