Deserts take up about one third (33%) of the Earth's land surface.

[2] Hot deserts usually have a large diurnal and seasonal temperature range, with high daytime temperatures, and low nighttime temperatures (due to extremely low humidity). In hot deserts the temperature in the daytime can reach 45 C/113 F or higher in the summer, and dip to 0 C/32 F or lower at nighttime in the winter. Water vapor in the atmosphere acts to trap long wave infrared radiation from the ground, and dry desert air is incapable of blocking sunlight during the day (due to absence of clouds) or trapping heat during the night. Thus, during daylight most of the sun's heat reaches the ground, and as soon as the sun sets the desert cools quickly by radiating its heat into space. Urban areas in deserts lack large (more than 14 C/25 F) daily temperature variations, partially due to the urban heat island effect.