Mountains form a baracade that prevents high level atmospheric moisture from reaching an area. This forms a rain shadow desert. Examples would be the deserts of the United States as well as those of South America.
Deserts often form on the leeward side of a mountain.
Deserts often form on the leeward side of mountains, which is the side that faces away from prevailing winds. As air rises over the windward side of the mountain, it cools and releases moisture, creating a rain shadow effect that results in arid conditions on the leeward side.
No, deserts form on the leeward side of a mountain because the mountain blocks the flow of moisture and clouds forming a rain shadow desert.
The downwind side of a mountain is known as the leeward side of the mountain. This is where deserts and steppes begin to form due to the rain shadow.
the eastern side because there is less rain/moisture.
deserts
The dry area on the side of a mountain is called the leeward side. This is normally the area where deserts and steppes begin to form.
The rainshadow effect is what creates deserts to the east of mountain ranges in the northern hemisphere. Because our weather systems move basically from west to east, when a storm hits a mountain range the air is forced to rise over the mountain. When air rises, it cools, condenses and most of the moisture falls as rain or snow. By the time the system gets over the mountain there isn't enough moisture left to cause rain, so you get a desert on that side of the mountain.
deserts
Mountains force the humid air from the sea to rise where the moisture condenses and falls as rain on the windward side of the mountains. The air passes to the leeward side but now lacks moisture forming a rain shadow desert. See the diagram above.
Warm air expands and rises from the base on one side of the mountain. It cools and contracts in the clouds above the mountain and sinks back down but on the desert side of the mountains. This way both sides of the mountain are heated properly.
Deserts form on one side of mountains or high area masses.