2007-05-01 11:03:45 · 6 answers · asked by 6789 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
When wind patterns are blowing rain toward mountains, it causes rain. As the air flows up and over, the rising creates cooling, which makes the air rain out. As the air makes it over, the air starts to fall and warm again. This air can now hold more moisture, not to mention it lost a lot of water on the way over the mountain. These combined cause dry rain shadows on the opposite sides of mountains that the wind flows.
2007-05-01 11:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by QFL 24-7 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mountain ranges mainly cause differences in precipitation. As an air mass encounters a mountain range, the mass is pushed upward causing it to cool. The water vapor in the air mass condenses and precipitation falls on this side of the mountain range - the windward side.
The now-dry air mass continues over the mountain range, leaving the leeward side (away from the wind) arid. This dry area is often called the rain shadow, and it may be a desert while the other side of the mountain range has plenty of water.
That's the big difference, not the temperature.
2007-05-01 11:20:41 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because the mountains are a barrier for many cloud formations there for it may rain on the coast and keep the area green and plush and on the other side of the mountains the clouds dissipate and it gets no rain but once or twice a year;in those raea ocointions the clouds will manage to get over the mountains and will hit the deserts.
2007-05-02 04:10:47 · answer #3 · answered by wolf 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Angle of the sun.
2007-05-01 11:21:54 · answer #4 · answered by ctd341 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
its all about how the sun it hitting it if the suns on one side its going to be hotter on that side
2007-05-01 11:11:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Thanks for the replies, very much appreciated!
2016-08-20 06:41:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋