No geogragy group
Can someone explain what a rain shadow is?

Question

No geogragy group 
Can someone explain what a rain shadow is?

anonymous · Answer

Often, the rain or snow falls on only one side of the mountain, the windward side. The other side of the mountain, the leeward side, which receives much less rain or snow. is said to be ' rain shadow'

waheguru · Answer

So is a shadow formed or something?

parthkohli · Answer

Ladakh is a rain shadow region. Here it doesn't rain. In orographic rainfall, we have plenty of rainfall on one side of the mountain and no rainfall on the other side(like Ladakh). No shadow is formed, it's just a name.

waheguru · Answer

So the term just means that the leeward side only gets the warm and dry air while the other side is wet and gets moist and cool air currents

parthkohli · Answer

Yes, absolutely right. It's not really necessary that the leeward region gets warm air. We have some cold deserts as examples.

waheguru · Answer

What are the after effects of a rain shadow?

waheguru · Answer

Does it cause a desert or a non fertile land on the other side

parthkohli · Answer

Yes it does. Ladakh is a desert because it is the leeward side.

waheguru · Answer

Thankyou very much

parthkohli · Answer

My pleasure, thanks for the medal.