Final answer:
On an overcast night, the thermal environment experienced by a desert rodent will be warmer compared to a night with a clear sky.
Step-by-step explanation:
On an overcast night, compared to a night with a clear sky, the thermal environment experienced by a desert rodent will be warmer. This is because clouds have lower emissivity than land masses and oceans, and they reflect some of the radiation back to the surface. This greatly reduces heat transfer into the dark space and the atmosphere, resulting in a warmer thermal environment for the desert rodent.