<p>Short-duration cloud passages introduce strong, spatially non-uniform disturbances to parabolic-trough solar fields, challenging outlet-temperature regulation and stable operation. This work presents an integrated framework to quantify the dynamic thermo-hydraulic response of a trough solar field under moving cloud shading. A reproducible spatiotemporal cloud-shading generator is developed, enabling systematic comparisons among different representative cloud cases. Three operating strategies are evaluated under four cloud cases (thin/thick combined with fast/slow motion): constant-flow mode, proportional integral derivative control (PID), and model predictive control (MPC) of the heat-transfer-fluid (HTF) mass flow rate to track a specified outlet-temperature setpoint. The built model is validated using 8-hour operational data, showing good agreement for the field outlet temperature with a maximum absolute deviation of about 4.3°C. Under cloud transients, both PID and MPC effectively suppress outlet-temperature deviations by modulating HTF flow. However, improved thermal regulation is accompanied by larger mass flow changes and pressure-drop excursions. Zone-resolved analysis (four zones in solar field) further reveals that cloud trajectory causes strong spatial heterogeneity. Namely that, under constant-flow, the dominant effect is inter-zone temperature mismatch; whereas under closed-loop control, the dominant effect shifts to transient flow maldistribution among zones. The proposed framework provides a practical basis for evaluating control strategies and operational constraints of trough solar fields under realistic, spatially heterogeneous cloud disturbances.</p>