A dune extending transverse to the direction of the dominate winds, having a steeper leeward than windward slope, and most characteristic of desert areas having scanty vegetation. Rainy conditions are associated with the winter monsoons. Once a dune develops it becomes a stationary feature of the landscape. Most deserts receive less than 25 cm of rain each year. All deserts are covered by thick blankets of sand.
Most deserts occur in regions that typically have high atmospheric pressure.
The leeward side of a mountain range typically receives less moisture than windward slopes. Some deserts extend to the seashore. Steep cliffs in the Colorado Plateau country are caused by collapse of rock along vertical joints, as a result of lateral erosion by streams. The thin layer of sediment that typically covers a pediment is in transport from the nearby bajada. Windstorms in deserts generally contain little moisture.