Rain shadow

As a rain shadow is an area that is on the downwind side ( leeward ) is a mountain range. In such an area, there is a much lower rainfall than on the opposite of the mountain, the windward side, which usually do not benefit from orographic rainfall. In the rain shadow of mountains why deserts are often encountered. The Tibetan Plateau is for example in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, the Rangipo Desert in New Zealand in the rain shadow of three volcanoes Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro. The Atacama, driest desert on earth, lies in the rain shadow of the Andes.

• Precipitation