Why is the chihuahuan desert where it is?
In one word, elevation. The Chihuahuan Desert is dry because it is surrounded by Mexico’s two great mountain ranges: the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre Occidental. As warm, moist air rises to move across these mountains, it is cooled rapidly causing rainfall. The result is that most of the moisture has been removed from these air masses before they ever reach the Chihuahuan Desert basins. Because of its position in the interior of the continent and its relatively high elevation, ranging from about 1970 to 5500 feet, this desert tends to have hot summers and cool to cold winters. All areas are subject to occasional winter frosts, and northern portions regularly receive hard freezes. The Chihuahuan Desert is higher in elevation than the Sonoran Desert to the west. Several larger mountain ranges include the Sierra Madre, the Sierra del Carmen, the Sacramento Mountains, the Sandia-Manzano Mountains, the Magdalena-San Mateo Mountains, the Chisos, the Guadalupe Mountains, and the
