Which region receives the most rainfall?

• A. Coastal Plain
• B. Appalachian Plateau
• C. Blue Ridge
• D. Piedmont

Answer: (C)

Moisture in the air tends to fall as rain where air is forced to rise. The Blue Ridge mountains create a strong lift for humid air moving in from the Gulf and Atlantic. As this air is pushed upward by the ridge, it cools, water vapor condenses, and heavy rain forms on the windward slopes. Because the Blue Ridge is a tall, prominent barrier, it produces more of this lifting than the flatter regions around it, so it receives the most rainfall. In contrast, flatter areas like the Coastal Plain don’t experience as much lifting, and the Piedmont and Appalachian Plateau don’t generate the same intense orographic rainfall, so they get less rain overall.