Why the Pacific Ranges Are So Rainy: Orographic Lift & Storm Tracks

North America's Pacific Ranges—coastal mountains from Alaska to California—are among the continent's wettest places. The recipe:

1. Prevailing westerlies – Moist winds blow east off the Pacific.
2. Orographic lift – Mountains force air upward; it cools, condenses, and dumps rain/snow on windward slopes.
3. Storm tracks – Extratropical cyclones follow the jet stream into the coast, delivering prolonged deluges.
4. Convergence zones – Colliding air masses enhance uplift and precipitation.
5. Local topography – Valleys, peaks, and coastal plains funnel and focus moisture.

Result: temperate rainforests (like the Hoh in Olympic National Park), massive snowpacks, and rivers that power hydroelectric grids and salmon runs. The rain shadow east of the ranges? That's where deserts like the Great Basin begin.