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Concept
Orographic lift
Summary
Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and create clouds and, under the right conditions, precipitation.
Orographic lifting can have a number of effects, including precipitation, rain shadowing, leeward winds, and associated clouds.
Precipitation induced by orographic lift occurs in many places throughout the world. Examples include:
The Mogollon Rim in central Arizona
The western slope of the Sierra Nevada range in California.
The western slope of the Wasatch range in Utah. Specifically the Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons.
The mountains near Baja California North – specifically La Bocana to Laguna Hanson.
The windward slopes of Khasi and Jayantia Hills (see Mawsynram) in the state of Meghalaya in India.
The Western Highlands of Yemen, which receive by far the most rain in Arabia.
The Western Ghats that run along India's western coast.
The northern slopes of the Pontides leading to the Black Sea, in Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia.
The Great Dividing Range of Eastern and South Eastern Australia which forces cold, moist westerlies up the inland slopes, originating from the Southern Ocean.
The mountains of New Zealand, which face a prevailing westerly flow off the Tasman Sea.
The mountains of western Tasmania which also face a prevailing westerly flow.
The southern Andes, which face a prevailing westerly flow off the Pacific Ocean.
The mountains of the Chocó Department in Colombia, which face a prevailing westerly flow off the Pacific Ocean and are one of the wettest places on Earth.
The western uplands of Great Britain, including the Grampian mountains, Lake District, Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons and Dartmoor which face a prevailing westerly flow off the Atlantic Ocean.
The Northwestern United States and Canada (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Southern Alaska) see prevailing westerly flow off the northern Pacific Ocean.
Official source
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