Orographic lift
![A gravity wave cloud pattern—analogous to a ship wake—in the downwind zone behind the Île Amsterdam, in the far southern Indian Ocean. The island generates wave motion in the wind passing over it, creating regularly spaced orographic clouds. The wave crests raise and cool the air to form clouds, while the troughs remain too low for cloud formation. Note that while the wave motion is generated by orographic lift, it is not required. In other words, one cloud often forms at the peak. See wave cloud.](/Images/godic/202501/31/Wave_cloud1604.jpg")
![Windy evening twilight enhanced by the Sun's angle, can visually mimic a tornado resulting from orographic lift](/Images/godic/202501/31/Dreamy_Twilight1604.jpg")
![Wave clouds.](/Images/godic/202501/31/Tadrart011604.JPG")
![Banner cloud formation on the Matterhorn](/Images/godic/202501/31/Banner_clouds1604.jpg")
Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and create clouds and, under the right conditions, precipitation.