Question

The intense red shadings of heavy precipitation ________ generally extend along the coast and midway north-south through Washington and Oregon where mountainous terrain existed.

A. Are
B. Tend to be
C. Typically
D. May

Answer 1

Heavy precipitation shadings tend to extend along the coast and through areas of mountainous terrain in Washington and Oregon due to the rain shadow effect, causing increased precipitation on the western slopes and semi-arid conditions on the eastern slopes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The intense red shadings of heavy precipitation tend to be generally extended along the coast and midway north-south through Washington and Oregon where mountainous terrain exists. This is largely because these areas experience a significant rain shadow effect.

As moist air from the Pacific Ocean moves eastward and encounters mountain ranges like the Cascades, the air is forced upward, cooling and condensing to form precipitation on the windward side. This results in higher levels of precipitation on the western slopes while creating semi-arid conditions on the leeward side. Climate patterns such as increases in precipitation intensity are expected in many regions due to global warming, which further affects the distribution and intensity of precipitation.