>> As air rises up along the mountain, it may cool to its dew point forming a cloud. The release of latent heat inside the cloud warms the rising air; this situation causes the air inside the cloud, at the top of the mountain, to be warmer than it would be otherwise. Condensation and perhaps precipitation on the mountain's up wind side removes moisture from the rising air so that the rising air at the top of the mountain is also drier. If the rising air at the top of the mountain should descend the mountain's lee ward side, it would produce a warm, dry, down slope wind that may replace cold air imbedded in low lying regions. The sinking warming air may also inhibit the formation of clouds and precipitation producing a rain shadow effect.