The Southwest United States and Northwest Mexico exist in a rainshadow cast by mountain ranges to the west.
Rainfall is light and undependable.
Often, summer rains are brief and highly localized, as clouds suddenly boil up from the south in afternoon and early evening. Winter storms come from the Pacific Ocean and may arrive in waves, soaking the ground. In higher elevations, the rain becomes snow. In between these two seasons are dry periods, when great care must be taken to ensure life and growth until the next rain. The indigenous people of the Southwest welcome rain into their lives and land, praying for the blessing of rain through a variety of ceremonies and creative expressions.