Photo by Tian Zhang on Unsplash In some cities, it is normal for the temperature to shift more than 30 degrees in a single day. In the United States, diurnal temperature variation is highest in arid, high-elevation regions in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, California, and New Mexico. In some desert cities, residents regularly experience temperature shifts greater than 35 degrees in a single day, and temperature shifts greater than 45 degrees on extreme days.