What is the orographic effect and its effect on weather?

The orographic effect occurs when air masses are forced to flow over high topography. As air rises over mountains, it cools and water vapor condenses. As a result, it is common for rain to be concentrated on the windward side of mountains, and for rainfall to increase with elevation in the direction of storm tracks.

How does the orographic effect affect climate?

The primary factor affecting storm depth, intensity, and local climate is topography. Desert mountains influence rainfall by orographic effects (rapid cooling of rising air masses) which results in increasing rainfall with increasing elevation.

How does the orographic effect create clouds?

Orographic clouds are clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth’s topography (mountains for example). If the air cools to its saturation temperature during this process, the water vapor within condenses and becomes visible as a cloud.

Which best describes the orographic effect?

What Is the Orographic Effect? As a weather system moves over land, it follows the topography of the terrain. The air might rise up over mountains or sink down through valleys. Orographic effect is the term used to describe changes to air flow when the topography of the land forces air upward.

How does the orographic effect affect the weather?

When the air reaches the mountain or escarpment slopes, it is forced to rise with the elevation of the physical terrain. As it gains altitude, the temperature starts to drop as a result of adiabatic cooling*. The air continues to cool as it keeps rising along the slopes.

Which is side of a mountain has the orographic effect?

The side of the mountain with the rain shadow is called the leeward side. It usually lacks vegetation due to its desert-like climate. The orographic effect is a change in atmospheric conditions caused by a change in elevation, primarily due to mountains. This effect tends to leave a distinctive look to the mountains it touches.

When does the orographic rain start and end?

Orographic precipitation. Convective rain occurs mainly in the May to November period, when 60 per cent of the rain falls in the afternoons between 12:00 and 18:00 hours; orographic rain predominates between December and April, with a secondary maximum in June and July coinciding with an intensification of the trades.

Which is an extreme example of orographic precipitation?

An extreme example of orographic precipitation is found on the western side of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, where mean annual rainfall totals exceed 10 metres! (Figure 5.15).