Boxi Learn › Geography › Stage 2 · Models and Patterns
Why one side of the mountain is dry
GEO-2 Places differ, and there are reasonsX-1 Guess, then check
What many people think
Rain falls evenly on both sides of a mountain range.
The idea
Wind pushes moist air up the windward side, where it cools and rains; the air that comes down the other side is dry and warming, so the leeward side lies in a rain shadow.
Explain it
A friend says rain falls evenly on both sides of a mountain range. Use the words “rises”, “cools”, “cloud” and “sinks” to explain why the town behind the mountains is dry, and why it is also warmer.
Try at home
On a rainfall map of your country (a weather service's climate map or an atlas), find a mountain range. Which side is greener on the map? Check which way the wind usually blows there: is the wet side facing the wind?