How does the earth hold on to heat at night time even when there is no solar radiation reaching a given area?

The Earth retains heat at night primarily through a process called thermal inertia, where land and water absorb heat from the sun during the day and release it slowly after sunset. This stored heat can continue to warm the surface and lower atmosphere for several hours or even days, depending on the material's properties. Additionally, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap some of this heat through radiation, preventing it from escaping into space immediately. This combination helps maintain relatively stable temperatures even in the absence of direct solar radiation.