How do mountains create rain shadows on the dry side?
Quick Answer
Moist air rises over a mountain, cools, and drops rain on the windward side. The air then sinks warmer and drier on the leeward side, creating a rain shadow desert.
The Full Story
When prevailing winds push moist air toward a mountain range, the air is forced upward. As it rises, it cools and its water vapor condenses into clouds and precipitation, often making the windward slopes wet and forested. After crossing the crest, the air descends, warms, and becomes much drier. This creates a rain shadow that can produce arid conditions on the far side of the range. The Atacama Desert in Chile and parts of eastern Washington in the United States are classic rain-shadow environments.
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