Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Lowest temperature is just after sunrise

09:00
6 January 2023

Coldest time of the day
Lowest temperature is just after sunrise

setting-sun

Did you know that the coldest time of the day is normally about half an hour after sunrise?

That surprises a lot of people because it seems logical that the coldest time should be in the middle of the night. However, all through the night the ground is losing heat and the air is steadily getting colder.

Then the sun pops over the horizon, but its first rays are very weak. When the sun initially rises, there is still more heat being lost then is being received.

After about half an hour or so, the sun is strong enough to add a little warmth and the temperatures can start to rise.

Of course there are plenty of things which can cause the temperature to change during the day. Warm air can drift in from another area or rain can drag the temperature down.

However, if nothing else is affecting the weather, the coldest time of the day will be just after dawn.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Split image showing a tranquil reservoir at sunset with rolling hills on the left, and a dramatic cloud illuminated by crepuscular sun rays above a tree-lined horizon on the right.
Sunday, 31 May 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Cooler views after the week's heat
Heat map centered on London showing intense red temperatures across southeast England, with Heathrow highlighted at 33.5°C and nearby cities around 30–32°C.
Monday, 25 May 2026

33.5 °C and still rising

Hottest May day on record
Weather warning map of Wales and western Britain showing a yellow thunderstorm alert with lightning symbols, alongside a large warning triangle for lightning.
Wednesday, 27 May 2026

Wales & western England

Thunderstorm watch continues
All weather news
This might also interest you
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday, 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
Outline of Santa Claus with a yellow and white hat, "Ho-Ho-Ho" next to the outline above a Christmas tree.
Thursday, 25 December 2025

Merry Christmas!

Wishes from Weather & Radar
Split image showing strong winds over the UK on a forecast map and widespread rain and snow on a weather radar map.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Severe gales & heavy rain

Storm Chandra makes impact
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList