Which areas have the greatest temperauter fluctuations?

 The greatest temperature fluctuations in the course of as single day often occur in the Earth's great deserts, such as the Atacama in South America and the Sahara in Africa. There the ground is only heated near the surface because it is covered in loosely packed quartz sand, which does not conduct heat very efficiently. In addition, dry desert soil can store far less heat than damp soil.

The lack of cloud during the day means that the rays of the Sun are rarely interrupted before they strike the ground, with the result that temperatures can rise as high as 70°C. At night, however, the small amount of stored heat can radiate away unhindered back into the atmosphere. Because of this, temperature differences of 30°C in a single day are common, with extreme fluctuations of up to 50°C possible. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the greatest recorded temperature fluctuation over an extended period of time was on the plains of Siberia, where the town of Verkhoyansk has recorded a temperature fluctuation of 104°C. The highest temperature measured there reached 36°C, and the lowest-68°C. Verkhoyansk also holds the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in Siberia.