Final answer:
The rain shadow effect is when a mountain causes the leeward side to have an arid climate by forcing moist air to drop its precipitation on the windward side. This effect is responsible for the dry conditions in places like the leeward side of Puerto Rico, the Atacama Desert, and certain regions in the United States, such as Death Valley.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of precipitation known to cause one side of a mountain to receive little rain due to the shadow effect is commonly referred to as the rain shadow effect. This meteorological phenomenon occurs when moist air from the ocean rises up over a mountain range, leading to cooling and condensation which causes precipitation on the windward side. The now dry air descends on the leeward side, causing very little rainfall and often creating a semi-arid or arid climate.
Examples of the rain shadow effect can be seen globally, such as the semi-desert conditions on the leeward side of Puerto Rico, the deserts in western China beyond the Himalayas, the arid Atacama region of Chile, and the dry areas of eastern Washington and Oregon in the United States. These demonstrate how varying geographical features and global patterns contribute to the localized climate conditions observed due to the rain shadow effect.