When moisture-laden air moves toward a mountain, which

Solution

The windward slope directly faces the incoming moisture-laden air. As this air ascends the mountain, it cools due to decreasing atmospheric pressure, reducing its capacity to hold moisture. This cooling triggers condensation, forming clouds and precipitation. The greatest rainfall occurs on this windward side where the rising air first encounters the mountain. After passing over the mountain, the descending air on the opposite (leewarside warms and becomes drier, creating a rain shadow effect with significantly reduced precipitation. This process is called orographic precipitation or orographic lifting.