What does the Orographic method of lifting involve?

The Orographic method of lifting specifically refers to the process where air is forced to rise as it encounters a mountain range or elevated terrain. As the air ascends, it cools, which can lead to condensation and cloud formation, often resulting in precipitation on the windward side of the mountain. This phenomenon is crucial for understanding how mountains impact local weather patterns, particularly in creating wetter conditions on one side of a range while leaving the leeward side drier, known as the rain shadow effect.

In this context, the other options do not accurately capture the nature of orographic lifting. Wind patterns creating storms refer more broadly to atmospheric dynamics not limited to topography, while changes in temperature relate to various lifting mechanisms, not specifically orography. Lastly, movement of air masses over flat terrain does not involve the ascent that characterizes orographic lifting.