Some of the driest places on Earth, such as the Atacama Desert in Chile and the Namib Desert in southern Africa, are located right next to oceans due to specific geographical and meteorological conditions.
Typically, when people think of deserts, they imagine vast sandy expanses far from bodies of water. However, certain of the driest regions on our planet are situated adjacent to the ocean. Notable examples include the Atacama Desert in Chile and the Namib Desert in southern Africa, both of which stretch along coastlines despite their arid environments.
Scientists have been investigating the paradox of how such dry landscapes can develop in oceanic surroundings. Their research reveals that geographical latitude plays a crucial role in this phenomenon. Most deserts are found above or below the equator, where solar radiation is at its strongest. The intense heating causes air to rise and create areas of low pressure. As this warm air ascends, it subsequently descends at latitudes between 20 and 40 degrees, which inhibits cloud formation and leads to the prevalence of deserts in the subtropical regions, including well-known deserts like the Sahara and Kalahari.
In addition to latitude, wind patterns are another significant factor in this occurrence. Close to the equator, easterly trade winds blow from east to west, bringing moisture to the eastern edges of continents. Once these winds reach the interior, they lose their moisture, resulting in dry areas despite their proximity to the ocean. This combination of geographical and meteorological factors helps explain why some of the world's driest deserts are located right next to the ocean rather than far away from it.
