What is a geographical windward slope?

The slope blown by the prevailing wind is the windward slope.

The windward slope cools down because the terrain blocks the warm and humid airflow, which is easy to cause rainfall and precipitation. Downward flow prevails in leeward slope, which increases the temperature, makes it difficult to form clouds and cause rainfall, and causes precipitation to decrease.

There are also differences in precipitation at different altitudes on windward slopes. There is less precipitation in foothills and hilltops. Due to insufficient airflow uplift at the foot of the mountain, there is less rainfall caused by cloud formation, and the air humidity at the top of the mountain has been greatly reduced, with less clouds and less rain, and the most precipitation is halfway up the mountain.

The diurnal temperature range of windward slope and annual range are smaller than leeward slope. Due to the rainy weather on the windward slope, the atmosphere has a strong weakening effect on solar radiation during the day, and the temperature will not rise excessively. At night, the atmosphere has a strong heat preservation effect on the ground, and the temperature will not drop excessively. The leeward slope is the opposite.

The windward slope of the same natural belt has a higher altitude, while the leeward slope has a lower altitude. There is more precipitation and less heat on the windward slope.

If the mountain lifts the airflow excessively, the windward slope and the leeward slope even present completely different natural landscapes. For example, on both sides of the westerly belt of the Andes in southern South America, the windward slope on the west side is a temperate deciduous forest belt, and the leeward slope on the east side is a temperate desert belt.

Snow lines on windward slopes are distributed at lower altitudes, while leeward slopes are distributed at higher altitudes. Because there is more precipitation on the windward slope, it is easier to snow and the water cycle is more active. The airflow on the leeward slope sinks, heats up and dries up, and the snow is easier to melt and evaporate, while there is less precipitation and less snow.

The windward slope has superior natural conditions, dense population and towns, and developed economy. The leeward slope is the opposite.

If it is an island mountain, the leeward slope is a good place to develop a bathing beach. Because the weather here is sunny and rainy, and the solar radiation is strong. Leeward slope is also the best location for saltworks. Because the downward airflow is mainly leeward slope, it is difficult to form clouds and cause rainfall, and the precipitation is very small. At the same time, the atmosphere has a weak weakening effect on solar radiation, while the solar radiation is strong, and the atmosphere is dry and evaporation is strong. Leeward coast can also be used as a safe haven for ships at sea.