Hot Deserts

• Where are hot deserts located?

  Hot deserts are mainly restricted to areas 15-30 degrees North or South of the equator, such as the Sahara in North Africa. The exception is the hot desert in Australia. The Northern hemisphere is devoid of hot deserts
• What is the climate like in hot deserts?

  The temperature in hot deserts exhibits many extremes. During the day it can reach highs of around 50 degrees Celsius (despite this the annual average is around 29-35 degrees) whilst at night it can reach lows of -18 degrees. There is very little rainfall experienced; usually less than 250 mm each year.
• Hot desert soil


  The desert soil mainly consists of rocks and sand. It has very little humus as the saline element to the soil means that very few plants can survive there. Also, the hot and dry conditions means that decomposers find it hard to survive, along with most other animals.
• Deserts are often considered vast areas of dunes, but most deserts are rocky, desolate places with isolated thorny bushes and cacti. Plant growth is minimal as there is a lack of rainfall. 
• Desert Climographs have little rainfall and a consistent hot temperature.

  
• Hot deserts occur in altitudes of about 1000m to 2000m