Why Do Clouds Sit on Mountains? Orographic Lifting Explained Simply

Ever noticed a cloud sitting right on top of a mountain while the rest of the sky is clear? That's orographic lifting, a simple weather process you can see almost anywhere in the world. In under two minutes you'll learn: ☁️ Why mountains force moist air to rise 🌡️ Why rising air cools down 💧 How water vapor turns into tiny droplets at the dew point and builds a cloud 🌬️ Why the cloud disappears on the other side ⛰️ Why a cloud can seem "stuck" on a peak even in strong wind 🌧️ The rain shadow effect: why one side of a mountain is green and the other is dry Chapters 0:00 Why do clouds sit on mountains? 0:16 Step 1 – Moist air approaches the mountain 0:26 Step 2 – The mountain forces the air upward 0:35 Step 3 – The air cools as it rises 0:46 Step 4 – Water vapor condenses into a cloud 0:57 Step 5 – The cloud disappears on the other side 1:08 Why do clouds stay on mountain peaks? 1:27 The rain shadow effect 1:43 Not every mountain makes clouds #weather #clouds #science #mountains #orographiclifting #rainshadow #meteorology #explained