Answer to Question 1
The diurnal temperature range is the difference between the daily maximum and minimum temperatures. It is greatest next to the ground and becomes progressively smaller with height above the surface. Dry, clear weather allows for the largest diurnal ranges because daytime air temperatures tend to be higher as sunlight directly warms the ground surface and nighttime temperatures are usually lower due to rapid radiational cooling. Diurnal temperature ranges tend to be smaller in humid areas because haze and clouds lower the maximum temperature by preventing some of the sun's energy from reaching the surface. At night, the moist air keeps the minimum temperature high by absorbing the earth's infrared radiation and radiating a portion of it to the ground.
Answer to Question 2
Although the high winds of a hurricane can inflict a great deal of damage, it is usually the huge waves and the flooding associated with the storm surge that cause the most destruction and loss of life. The flooding is due, in part, to winds pushing water onto the shore and to the heavy rains. The combined effect of high water, which is usually well above the high-tide level, high winds, and the Ekman transport (bending or movement of water influenced by the surface winds), produces an abnormal rise of several meters in the ocean level that can inundate low-lying areas. Extreme flooding can even occur with relatively weak storms. Hurricane-spawned tornadoes can also cause considerable damage.
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