Ocean on the left · peaks on the right · water is conserved
How the cycle works
This is a closed hydrologic toy model. Water never leaves the scene. Heat, wind, and mountain lift decide how quickly it moves between ocean, air, clouds, rain, lakes, and downhill streams.
The four processes
Evaporation — Warm water surfaces shed vapor. The ocean dominates because it has the largest area. Night and freezing air nearly shut it off.
Condensation — Vapor rises, drifts inland, and cools. Higher orographic lift steepens the lapse rate, so air reaching the peaks condenses faster.
Precipitation — Clouds rain (or snow) once they are wet enough. Cold air needs less saturation to precipitate, and mountains receive a larger share.
Runoff — Alpine and valley lakes spill over their downhill rims, toward the coast, then back into the ocean.
What to try
Desert: hot days, little water, weak rain.
Monsoon: a packed atmosphere and heavy orographic storms.
Alpine: below-freezing nights and snow on the peaks.