On the Leeward Side of a Mountain, Air

Question

On the leeward side of a mountain, air
A) Warms and ascends
B) Warms and descends
C) Cools and descends
D) Cools and ascends

Accepted Answer

On the leeward side of a mountain, air descends and warms up due to adiabatic heating, which occurs as the air pressure increases when the air moves down the slope. This process is known as a rain shadow effect, where the descending air warms and leads to drier conditions on the leeward side.