EAPS 10200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Dew Point, Rain Shadow

• School: Purdue University
• Department: Earth Atmos Planetary Sci
• Course: EAPS 10200
• Professor: Professor Balloti

Document Summary

How water in the air is affected by temperature. Clouds form as moist air rises and cools to reach the dew point. There are other factors that go into cloud formation. There are four methods for lifting air (and creating clouds) Occurs when air meets an obstacle, such as a mountain. Air is forced up and over the mountain. As the air rises it cools, and when it reaches the dew point clouds form. These clouds may have to rise, or be lifted so high precipitation occurs on the windward side of the mountain. After air reaches top of mountain most of the moisture has condensed out of the air. This allows the air to warm adiabatically as it descends the mountain. Since the air is dry no precipitation occurs causing the leeward side of the mountain to be called a rain shadow.