What creates a rain shadow?

Asked by: Cathy Hendrickson

A rain shadow is a patch of land that has been forced to become a desert because mountain ranges blocked all plant-growing, rainy weather. On one side of the mountain, wet weather systems drop rain and snow. On the other side of the mountain—the rain shadow side—all that precipitation is blocked.

Where do rain shadows occur?

A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side.

What is the main factor that creates the rain shadow effect?

Lesson Summary. A rain shadow is an area of dry land that results when precipitation is intercepted from a nearby formation. Most commonly, rain shadows are created when water rising from a large body of water is intercepted by a mountain range. As air travels from the water to the mountain, it rises and cools.

What is a rain shadow called?

What Does Rain Shadow Mean? A rain shadow describes the dry area on one side of a mountain or mountain range where less rain falls. This side of the mountain or mountain range is called the leeward side, while the side which has greater rainfall is called the windward side.

What three items are required to create a rain shadow effect?

The air is forced to rise. And as the air lifts it expands and cools cooler air can't hold as much moisture. So clouds form and it rains a bunch resulting in a lush green landscape.

How is rain shadow formed it is formed when the other side of the mountain?

The windward side of a mountain range is moist and lush because of this precipitation. Once the air passes over the mountain range, it moves down the other side, warms, and dries out. This dry air produces a rain shadow.

What is a rain shadow quizlet?

Rain shadow. a dry area on the leeward side of a mountainous area.

What is the first step in the formation of a rain shadow?

What is the first step in the formation of a rain shadow? This occurs when mountains block rainfall from getting to the other side of the mountain range casting a “shadow” of warm dry air. This occurs when rising moist air cools and molecules clump together.

What effect is caused by a rain shadow quizlet?

The rain shadow effect is a reduction of rainfall and loss of moisture from an area of land on the opposite side of a mountain facing away from prevailing surface winds. How this plays a role in the formation of deserts is mountain ranges force high moisture content air to travel over the mountains.

What type of uplift can create a rain shadow desert?

Orographic lifting can have a number of effects, including precipitation, rain shadowing, leeward winds, and associated clouds.

What is meant by a rain shadow area give two examples?

High mountains act as barriers for cold or hot winds; they may also cause precipitation if they are high enough and lie in the path of rain-bearing winds. The leeward side of the mountains remains dry. e.g. the eastern slope of the Western Ghats is the rain shadow area.

What are the mountains responsible for rain shadow area?

The western ghats in india is an example of mountains causing rain shadow are. The moisture laden winds from the arabian sea branch shed most of its moisture on the western slopes of the western ghats due to which by the time they reach the eastern slopes of western ghats the winds have very less moisture left in them.

What is rain shadow class7?

When moisture-laden winds blow towards the mountains, they strike the windward side of the mountains and causes rainfall. When these winds blow towards the other side of the mountains, they are completely devoid of any moisture and do not bring rainfall. This area is known as the rain shadow region.