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Prevailing winds travel northwest to southeast in this part of the world, storms follow this track too. While some of the water carried in the storm clouds is dumped onto coastal communities, much of the moisture remains in the clouds until the reach the mighty Sierra Nevada mountain range.
When clouds encounter the Sierras, there's nowhere to go but up. As the clouds rise, the air cools. Cold air cannot hold as much water as warmer air, so the water condenses from the clouds and drops as rain or snow on the western flanks of the Sierras.
This precipitation supports luxuriant vegetation on the west side of the range as well as glaciers and snow fields on the higher peaks. Not a lot of moisture remains by the time the storm reaches the eastern side of the Sierras. On encountering the warmer air of the continental interior, any remaining clouds warm up and can retain their moisture without dropping it on the parched earth below.
AKA- The Rain Shadow Effect---WH
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What kind of flowers are there in Death Valley?
there are only cacti in death valley so mainly it has very littel rain
How does the rocky mountains affect weather?
Death Valley has the rocky mountains next to it. The mountains are taller than the valley so they block the rain and cool winds from making death valley cooler so it has a hot and dry climate. Tall mountains do block the rain and cool winds but they are not the Rockies. To the West are the Panamints and to the East are the Funeral Mountains.
What continent is Death Valley in?
Death Valley is located in eastern California USA, so it is in North America.
What is so great about Death Valley?
death valley is famous because it is the home town of the greatest wrestler ever THE UNDERTAKER
Why doesn't Death Valley get maritime air masses that reach western US?
Death Valley is in the rain shadow of the tallest mountains of the Sierra Nevada. Those rains catch most of the moisture from the winter rains. The Summer rains of the western US come from the Pacific but come up through the Arizona or the Gulf of Mexico. So, Death Valley misses both the winter and summer rains.
Is Death Valley the lowest part in the 48 contiguous states?
Death Valley is the lowest point in all of the US state, so yes.
What US President was regularly the host on Death Valley Days?
Ronald Reagan was the host for Death Valley Days for one year of so.
Why is Death Valley so important?
Because of the sea level.
Why is Death Valley so low?
Because it used to be a lake!
Does North America have a desert?
Yes, America has a desert but the only desert that I know of is Death Valley in California I think. Death Valley is the hottest place in the world. I don't know so much about Death Valley but you can Google it if you want.
Why does Canada get little rain?
are you actually serious?, Canada gets loads of rain move to the pacific coast and see why "Canada gets so little rain"
Why is Death Valley so salty?
Because of the rocks surrounding them have eroded
