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When air reaches the mountains, it is forced to rise over this barrier. As the air moves up the windward side of a mountain, it cools, and the volume decreases. As a result, humidity increases and orographic clouds and precipitation can develop.
Furthermore, what happens when air descends?
Air pressure is determined by how much the air weighs in a given space. As air descends, it warms, inhibiting cloud formation which is often associated with good weather. Air rises in areas where the pressure at the surface is low. As it rises, the air cools and the humidity condenses to form clouds and precipitation.
People also ask, what happens when warm moist air is forced to rise over a mountain?
Orographic rainfall This type of rainfall is also known as relief rainfall and occurs when moist air is forced to rise over a mountain barrier, such as on the western side of the UK. As the air is forced to rise, its ability to hold water vapour decreases and rainfall can result.
Mountains can affect the climate of nearby lands. In some areas, mountains block rain, so that one side of a mountain range may be rainy and the other side may be a desert. Much of airborne moisture falls as rain on the windward side of mountains.