Rain shadow
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A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side.
Effect of a rain shadow
The Tibetan Plateau (center) is an example of a rain shadow. Rainfalls from the southern South Asian monsoon do not make it far past the Himalayas (seen by the snow line at the bottom), leading to an arid climate on the leeward (in this case, north) side of the mountain range and the desertification of the Tarim Basin (top).
The Atlas Mountains' (top) rain shadow effect makes the Sahara even drier.
The mountain ranges on the eastern side of Madagascar provide a rain shadow for the country's western portion.
Death Valley
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Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, United States, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. The World Meteorological Organization lists Death Valley as the s
Rain shadow
…California's Owens Valley is rain-shadowed by the Sierra Nevada. Death Valley in the United States, behind both the Pacific Coast Ranges of California and the Sierra Nevada range, is the driest place in North America and one of…
Death Valley as seen from Space Shuttle Columbia in October 1995
Landscape of Death Valley deserted land
Sand dunes at Mesquite Flats
View from Badwater Basin