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As a result, there is a great deal of winter snow and glaciation in the high North Cascades. As with most mountainous areas, precipitation increases dramatically with increasing elevation. The eastern slope lies in the rain shadow of the range, since prevailing winds and most moisture come from the west, and hence is significantly drier than the western side of the main divide, becoming semi-arid in the eastern lowlands. Sometimes, the storms move downwind into lowland cities.
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Summers are comparatively dry, with far less precipitation than in winter sometimes the warmer eastern air and cooler western air meet at the Cascades during the summer months, and form thunderstorms.
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This produces a temperate rain forest climate in the low valleys, which then grades into montane and alpine climates on mountain slopes and peaks. The western slope of the range is wet and cool, with 60 to 250 inches (1.5 to 6.4 m) of precipitation per year. The climate in the North Cascades varies considerably by location and elevation. The significance of the geologic transitions to the Okanagan Highland to the east and the Interior Plateau and Coast Mountains to the north are less agreed upon. Geologically, the rocks of the North Cascades extend south beyond Stevens Pass and west into the San Juan Islands. Sometimes the term "North Cascades" or "northern Cascades" is used for the entire range north of the Columbia River. Sometimes the southern boundary is defined by Snoqualmie Pass and the approximate route of Interstate 90. This roughly follows Beckey's geologic division in Cascade Alpine Guide and the definition used by. Highway 2, running over Stevens Pass, or equivalently, the Skykomish River, Nason Creek, and the lower Wenatchee River. For the purposes of this article, it will be taken as U.S. The southern boundary of the North Cascades is less definite. Glacier Peak is the dominant feature in the southern portion of the North Cascades. Portions of the US side of the range are protected as part of North Cascades National Park. The summits of the rest of the Canadian Cascades are not glaciated in the same way and feature rock "horns" rising from plateau-like uplands, with the Manning Park and Cathedral Park areas known for their extensive alpine meadows, as is also the case with the eastern flank of the US portion of the range. While most of the peaks are under 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in elevation, the low valleys provide great local relief, often over 6,000 feet (1,800 m). section of the North Cascades and the adjoining Skagit Range in British Columbia are most notable for their dramatic scenery and challenging mountaineering, both resulting from their steep, rugged topography.