Where are you most likely to find deserts?

Where are you most likely to find deserts?

Deserts cover around 20% of the Earth and are on every continent. They are mainly found around 30 to 50 degrees latitude, called the mid-latitudes. These areas are about halfway between the equator and the north and south poles.

Where are deserts found and why?

Deserts are often found towards the west of continents. Some deserts are found on the western edges of continents. They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. They cool the air and make it harder for the air to hold moisture.

Why are most deserts in the west?

We observe that most of the deserts are on the western sides of the continents in the subtropics. These are the results of the prevailing easterly winds of the tropics, which are the trade winds. These winds become dry when they reach the western sides of the continents, and hence don’t bring any rain with them.

What’s the desert in South America?

The Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert forms part of the arid Pacific fringe of South America. Dry subsidence created by the South Pacific high-pressure cell makes the desert one of the driest regions in the world.

Why do deserts exist at 30 degrees latitude?

Deserts on Earth exist at 30 degrees latitude because of warm air, calm winds and virtually constant areas of high pressure forming in the atmosphere above. These deserts experience dry and hot conditions year-round and see plenty of sunlight, little wind and very little precipitation.

How many deserts are there in the United States?

Deserts. There are four major deserts in the United States. They are all located in the western portion of the country and are defined to be areas that receive less than ten inches of precipitation (rain, snow, etc.) a year. The Great Basin Desert is generally considered the largest of the four US deserts.

Where do coastal deserts occur?

Source: USGS. Coastal deserts occur east of the strongest coastal upwelling regions in the world.

Where is the Great Basin Desert located on a map?

The Great Basin Desert is located between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. It is mostly in the state of Nevada, but also parts of California, Idaho, Utah, and Oregon. The region gets so little rain because the Sierra Nevada Mountains form a shield from the winds from the Pacific Ocean,…