Much of the North American Desert lies in a rain shadow. Describe how it is that the leeward side of mountains are drier and warmer than the windward side. The Sonoran Desert of Baja California, the Atacoma Desert of South America, and the Namib Desert of Africa all reach to the sea yet they are some of the most arid regions on Earth. Explain how it is that this region is relatively dry. Total precipitation measures the amount of water that falls, but there are other factors that determine the aridity of a region.
Climate diagrams are graphical depictions of climate.
Given a climate diagram, describe the seasonal patterns of temperature and moist and dry seasons for the station. Despite the aridity, desert landscapes are largely defined by water. Describe how a desert, with infrequent precipitation, can be so influenced by water. Include a description of how major desert landforms originate. Describe desert soils.