Rain shadow effect is associated with

The rain shadow effect is a direct consequence of orographic rainfall, also known as relief rain [4]. This phenomenon occurs when a saturated air mass is forced to ascend a mountain barrier [c2][c5]. As the air rises on the windward side, it cools, condenses, and releases heavy precipitation [t1][t2]. Upon crossing the summit, the air descends the leeward slope as a katabatic wind [c1]. During this descent, increasing atmospheric pressure causes the air to warm and its moisture-holding capacity to increase, resulting in dry, rainless conditions [c1][c2]. This arid region on the leeward side is termed the 'rain shadow' [c2][t3]. Notable examples include the Eastern slopes of the Western Ghats in India and the Patagonian Desert in Argentina [c1]. In contrast, cyclonic, convectional, and frontal rainfalls are driven by different atmospheric lifting mechanisms such as low-pressure systems or surface heating [c4][t4].

Sources

1. [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: Water in the Atmosphere > Orographic Rain > p. 89
2. [4] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > Rainfall > p. 136