Climatology

Choose the Correct Answer

Correct Answer : Option b

Explanation
Statement I is correct: The wind descending the leeward side warms up adiabatically and is called a katabatic wind. When air descends on the leeward side of a mountain, it compresses and warms up due to adiabatic heating. This process is characteristic of katabatic winds.

Statement II is correct: The leeward side receives less rainfall. The leeward side is in the rain shadow of the mountain, where descending air loses its moisture, resulting in less rainfall.

Orographic Rainfall
It occurs when moist air is forced to rise over a mountain or hill due to prevailing winds. As the air ascends the windward slope, it cools and condenses, resulting in heavy rainfall on this side of the mountain. This is the key characteristic of orographic rainfall that the windward slopes receive significantly more rainfall than other areas.
Once the air has released its moisture on the windward side, it descends on the leeward slope. During this descent, the air warms up, increasing its capacity to hold moisture rather than releasing it. As a result, the leeward slopes remain dry and rainless, creating what is known as a "rain-shadow zone”. This type of rainfall is also referred to as "relief rain" because it is caused by the relief features of the land, such as mountains or hills.
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct but Statement-II is not the correctfor Statement-I. Katabatic winds and the rain shadow effect are separate phenomena, even though both occur on the leeward side.