Which continental effect drives increased aridity downwind of mountain ranges?

💡 Explanation

When air masses are forced to rise over mountain ranges, orographic lift causes adiabatic cooling and precipitation on the windward side, therefore air descending on the leeward side is drier, causing orographic precipitation reduction. Hence increased aridity results, rather than other effects which are independent of mountain influence.

• Which atmospheric effect causes deflection of prevailing winds forming distinct east-west bands?
• Which mechanism increases liquefaction risk in saturated silty sediment layers upon seismic wave propagation?
• Which mechanism causes uplift and mountain formation along a reverse fault?
• Which mechanism causes stream meandering in lowland river systems when cohesive sediment banks are present?
• Which outcome occurs when magma buoyancy exceeds lithospheric strength?
• Which mechanism creates ribbon lakes within a glacial valley after ice retreat?