Deserts may form on the           ______ ; Your answer here;          side of mountains because the air that crosses over the mountain is warm and dry.

Deserts may form on the leeward side of mountains because the air that crosses over the mountain is warm and dry. When moist air approaches a mountain range, it is forced to rise. As it rises, the air cools and loses moisture in the form of precipitation on the windward side of the mountain. After reaching the peak and descending on the leeward side, the air descends, warms up, and becomes drier, leading to arid conditions typical of desert environments. This phenomenon is known as the rain shadow effect. Consequently, the leeward side often experiences much less rainfall compared to the windward side, resulting in the formation of deserts in those areas.