Yes, Asheville is on the leeward side of the mountains. Clouds on the windward side are formed by air rising up the mountains and condensing. However, on the other side (in the valley, where dowtown Asheville is), air sinks and compresses. Compressing the air warms it up and dries it out. So, less rain on the leeward side of a mountain.
Was reading this article (https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/02/11/answer-man-asheville-temperate-rainforest-wake-record-rain/2836281002/) and it said, “”The wettest place in North Carolina is Highlands, with a Normal of 84.5 inches, so the wettest and driest places in North Carolina [Downtown Asheville according to this article] are within about 50 miles of each other.”” My question for you is, do you know why two such drastically different climates are found so close together?
Yes, Asheville is on the leeward side of the mountains. Clouds on the windward side are formed by air rising up the mountains and condensing. However, on the other side (in the valley, where dowtown Asheville is), air sinks and compresses. Compressing the air warms it up and dries it out. So, less rain on the leeward side of a mountain.
Crazy. I have a hard time with the fact that Asheville is drier than Charlotte, or somewhere in the piedmont, like Rock Mount, or Gastonia.
I guess that’s what the mountains can do. It is really crazy when you think about it.