what is the windward side of a mountain

The windward side of a mountain is the side that faces the prevailing wind, while the leeward side is the side sheltered from the prevailing wind. When air runs into a mountain, the side of the mountain that it hits first is called the windward side. This is where air is forced to rise, and this is the side of the mountain that often sees the heaviest precipitation. The opposite side of the mountain is called the leeward side and usually sees much less precipitation. The reason is that air is descending on the leeward side of the mountain, and descending air is warmer and drier, which is the opposite of ascending air. The leeward side is generally warmer and drier due to adiabatic warming.