Why does the temperature drop a few degrees as the sun begins to rise in the morning?

Answer 1

Good observations. Here is the scientific answer. This lag between solar insolation and warming occurs for the same reason that maximum temperatures for the day do not occur when we have maximum solar insolation around noon but rather later in the afternoon around 3 - 4 p.m. When the sun comes up it must be absorbed by the earth, the earth must begin to warm and re-radiate longwave infrared radiation which then is responsible for heating the atmosphere. So there is this lag between solar insolation and heating. This is the scientific explanation. Hope this helps a little.

Answer 2

If there are no fronts or precipitation nearby, the daily temperature cycle is primarily controlled by the radiation budget. This is a comparison between the incoming radiation from the sun (sunlight) and the terrestrial radiation given off by the earth’s surface (felt as heat.) Think of the sunlight shining down on earth as the same as putting pennies into a jar. As long as you keep putting pennies in, the money adds up. In the same way, as long as the sun is shining down on earth, the amount of radiation adds up. Let’s say that at some point you decide to stop depositing pennies into the jar and begin to take them out. Even though you’re withdrawing pennies, you still may have a lot of money in the jar. Likewise, when the sun goes down, the incoming radiation from the sun stops, but there is still a lot of radiation that has been absorbed by the earth, so we still feel heat near the earth even after the sun goes down. At night, the “withdrawals” of terrestrial radiation continue, and the ground and the air near it cool. Earth’s surface is typically in radiation “debt” from a couple of hours before sunset to near sunrise. When the sun comes up and the “deposits” of incoming radiation from the sun equalize with the “withdrawals” of radiation from earth, we get the coolest temperature of the day. Sometimes in winter when the sun is low in the sky, Earth’s surface can remain in radiation debt longer, and the coldest temperature of the day can actually occur as much as an hour after sunrise. As the sun gets higher in the sky, earth’s surface is in radiation surplus (the deposits exceed withdrawals), so the ground and the air near it warm.

Answer 3

Radiational Cooling

Answer 4

Dew evaporating.