Deserts are most commonly located near which latitude?

• A. 0°
• B. 15° N/S
• C. 30° N/S
• D. 45° N/S

Answer: (C)

Deserts cluster in the subtropics where dry sinking air suppresses rainfall. This happens where the Hadley cell circulation brings warm air up at the equator and then lets it descend around 30 degrees latitude in both hemispheres. As air sinks, it warms and its capacity to hold moisture increases, so clouds and rain are inhibited, creating arid conditions. That subtropical high-pressure zone is why deserts are most common near 30° north and 30° south. By contrast, near the equator, rising air from the ITCZ brings frequent rainfall, so deserts are rare there. At about 45° latitude, the climate is more influenced by mid-latitude storm tracks and generally wetter conditions than deserts. So the typical, widespread desert belt sits around 30° in both hemispheres.