The trace at left shows the effect of radiative disequilibrium between solar and terrestrial radiation ( (i.e. the imbalance between the intensity of visible and infrared light) on daily temperature variations. Note that it is very similar to current conditions as the graph is valid for the equinoxes (March 21 and September 21).

• The green line shows the effect of solar radiation. It is only active after sunrise, peaks at noon, and dissappears after 6 PM.
• The purple line shows the intensity of terrestrial IR radiation. It closely follows that of surface temperature (red line) since the amount of IR emitted by the earth is directly related to its temperature (Stefan-Boltzman Law).
• The red shading shows the time of day when the incoming solar radiation is stronger than the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). Because of this imbalance, the surface temperature increases during this period.
• The blue shading shows the time of day when OLR is more intense than the incoming solar radiation. At this time of day, the surface temperature decreases.
• Note that the peak temperature is reached when OLR and solar radiation are equal. This is usually about two hours after the solar noon (2 PM EST or 3PM EDT).
  
• Note that the temperature drops most quickly early in the eveing and gradually tapers off to a minimum just before sunrise.
  
• The temperature rises most quickly just after sunrise owing to the minimum in OLR intensity and the rapid increase in the intensity of solar radiation.

Note that the trace for LSC in the previous posting varies from the ideal situation depicted here. The cloud that pushed in around noon blocked out the sun, weakening the solar radiation and halting the temperature rise. The cloud also absorbs OLR, reemitting heat radiation back to the surface of earth early in the evening (see figure). This slows the dip in temperature early in the evening.