Final answer:
The correct statement about rain shadows is that they occur when air rises over a mountain range, condenses, and precipitates on the windward side, leading to arid conditions on the leeward side. The concept describes the area with reduced rainfall due to this orographic effect, and it is not exclusively a phenomenon of any specific hemisphere or only within certain latitudes. The correct answer is option 1.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement about rain shadows is that as air rises over a mountain range, water vapor condenses into precipitation and falls on the windward side. This pattern occurs when moist air coming from the ocean rises up a mountain range, cools, and condenses, resulting in rainfall on the upwind side. As the air continues over the peak and descends on the leeward side, it warms and becomes drier, leading to reduced precipitation and often creating arid conditions.
Rain shadows can occur on either side of a mountain and are not only limited to the western sides of mountain ranges in the northern hemisphere. The area that receives the least rain is referred to as the rain shadow, not the most. They can happen at various latitudes, not only in the intertropical convergence zone. Evident by the semi-arid regions formed in places like eastern Oregon and Washington, or the Atacama region in Chile, the rain shadow effect significantly impacts local climates.