Mountain ranges force air to rise along the windward side of the range; clouds form and precipitation falls. On the leeward side, dry air descends and warms. Little precipitation falls on this side, creating a rain shadow.
Leeward: The side of a land mass sheltered from the wind—the opposite of windward.
Windward: The side of a land mass facing the direction from which the wind is blowing—the opposite of leeward.
Rain Shadow:The dry region on the leeward side of a mountain (the side sheltered from the wind). A place deprived of heavy rains because of a range of mountain sheltering it.
