How can a desert be cold and hot?

Answer 1

All deserts have low humidity and little cloud cover to hold the daytime heat. Once the sun sets they quickly cool down. Some deserts, particularly those further north, will be very hot in the summer but bitterly cold in winter. The Gobi Desert is a prime example.

Answer 2

Some deserts, such as the Gobi Desert and Great Basin Desert, have summers that can be quite hot but winters can be bitterly cold.