answersLogoWhite

0

Air has a certain amount of moisture in it, called humidity. Fog or precipitation result when the air accumulates too much moisture to hold ... the amount of moisture air can hold varies based on air pressure which itself varies. Storms can lower air pressure, but are a bit dynamic and chaotic ... air pressure is naturally lower the higher in altitude you are, though; air is thickest at lower elevations. The air becomes too thin at altitude to hold onto the moisture, so it 'piles up' against mountain ranges and tends to dump whilst the wind continues across the mountains. Then devoid of the moisture it dumped, it tends to create a "rain shadow" on the far side of the mountain range as the air re-thickens when it lowers in altitude on the far side of the mountain range without the moisture it lost on the windward side of the mountains. Thus, you often have a lush, green side of mountains as the mountains cause the atmosphere to dump its moisture, and a desert on the far side as the air regains pressure but is devoid of moisture.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Earth Science

Why does the windward side of the mountain have a wet climate?

As moist air is pushed up the windward side of a mountain, it cools and condenses, leading to cloud formation and precipitation. This process, known as orographic lift, causes wetter conditions on the windward side of a mountain.


What is rain shadow and how does it effect the climate of the west?

A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountain, caused by moisture being blocked by the mountain range. In the western United States, the rain shadow effect is prominent due to the prevailing westerly winds. This results in wetter conditions on the windward side of the mountains and drier conditions on the leeward side, affecting the climate by creating desert regions like the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert.


What is it called when wet warm air is pushed up the side of the mountain?

This phenomenon is called orographic lifting. As the moist air ascends the mountain, it cools and condenses, leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation on the windward side of the mountain.


The rain shadow effect causes the windward side of higher elevations to be?

More moist than the leeward side of the higher elevation. For example, if there was a mountain on the coast, the rain would collect on the windward side, because it is the side facing the direction the wind is coming from. The leeward side, or the side facing the direcion the wind is going, will be drier, due to the lack of ran.


What happens to the weather if a mountain is next to an ocean?

A basic answer is that the side facing the sea may receive most of the rain coming off the sea. The land side of the mountain may be in the mountain's rain shadow, which receives less rain, and could be drier.

Related Questions

Why does the windward side of the mountain have a wet climate?

As moist air is pushed up the windward side of a mountain, it cools and condenses, leading to cloud formation and precipitation. This process, known as orographic lift, causes wetter conditions on the windward side of a mountain.


What side of the mountain is always wet?

The wet side of the mountain is called the windward side. The dry side of the mountain is called the leeward side.


What is the climate on the windward side of coastal mountain ranges?

The windward side of coastal mountain ranges tends to be wet and humid due to the moist air being forced upwards and cooling, leading to precipitation. This results in lush vegetation and higher levels of rainfall compared to the leeward side.


Explain why the land on the windward side of a mountain range is usually green and lush while the other side is usually drier.?

The land on the windward side of a mountain range is usually green and lush while the other side is usually drier because the clouds tend to pile up on the windward side. The clouds then drop their moisture before they cross the mountains, making the windward side wet and the other side dry.


What is rain shadow and how does it effect the climate of the west?

A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountain, caused by moisture being blocked by the mountain range. In the western United States, the rain shadow effect is prominent due to the prevailing westerly winds. This results in wetter conditions on the windward side of the mountains and drier conditions on the leeward side, affecting the climate by creating desert regions like the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert.


What dry regions froms at the back of the mountain?

Rain shadows are dry regions that form on the leeward side of a mountain range. As air is forced to rise over the mountain, it cools and releases moisture on the windward side, creating a wet climate. On the leeward side, the air descends, warms, and absorbs moisture, resulting in dry conditions conducive to forming rain shadows.


Why is the windward side of a mountain wetter and greener then the leeward side?

Winds blow clouds towards the windward side of mountains. The clouds are forced to rise and have to release their water as rain or snow. This makes the windward side of mountains wetter and greener.


What is it called when wet warm air is pushed up the side of the mountain?

This phenomenon is called orographic lifting. As the moist air ascends the mountain, it cools and condenses, leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation on the windward side of the mountain.


Explain why the land on the windward side of a mountain range is usually green and lush while the other side is usually drier?

The land on the windward side of a mountain range is usually green and lush while the other side is usually drier because the clouds tend to pile up on the windward side. The clouds then drop their moisture before they cross the mountains, making the windward side wet and the other side dry.


On the windward side of the mountain you would expect what?

The windward side of the mountain has most of the precipitation. This happens because it gets colder the higher you go. As the air cools off, it reaches its dew point temperature,and the moisture in the air condenses to form clouds, and eventually rain, or snow.


The rain shadow effect causes the windward side of higher elevations to be?

More moist than the leeward side of the higher elevation. For example, if there was a mountain on the coast, the rain would collect on the windward side, because it is the side facing the direction the wind is coming from. The leeward side, or the side facing the direcion the wind is going, will be drier, due to the lack of ran.


What happens to the weather if a mountain is next to an ocean?

A basic answer is that the side facing the sea may receive most of the rain coming off the sea. The land side of the mountain may be in the mountain's rain shadow, which receives less rain, and could be drier.