How do mountains and valleys primarily affect local climate?

Mountains and valleys play a significant role in influencing local climate primarily through their effects on wind patterns and precipitation. When prevailing winds encounter mountains, they are forced to rise, leading to adiabatic cooling. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, resulting in precipitation on the windward side of the mountains. This process can create a considerable difference in climate on either side of the mountains, contributing to the phenomenon known as the rain shadow effect.

On the leeward side, the air descends, warms up, and loses moisture, which can lead to drier conditions. Valleys, on the other hand, can trap air, creating localized climate conditions that might be markedly different from surrounding areas, such as temperature inversions or higher humidity levels. Therefore, the interplay between these geographical features and their influence on atmospheric conditions directly shapes the local climate.

Other choices do not accurately capture the primary mechanisms by which mountains and valleys impact climate. Influencing ocean currents relates to large-scale climate systems and is not directly connected to local geography, while determining latitude and altering solar angles concern geographic positioning and solar intensity rather than local atmospheric changes.