Which desert occupies the rain shadow east of California's Sierra Nevada?

The desert occupying the rain shadow east of California’s Sierra Nevada is the Great Basin Desert. The Sierra Nevada blocks much of the moisture carried inland from the Pacific Ocean, leaving a drier region on the mountains’ eastern side.

As air rises over the Sierra Nevada, it cools and releases moisture as rain or snow. Descending air east of the range is warmer and substantially drier, creating the rain-shadow effect that helps define the Great Basin’s climate. The desert is a high-elevation cold desert, so its winters can be snowy even though its summers are hot and dry.

The Great Basin Desert is not one continuous sea of sand. It is characterized by alternating mountain ranges and broad valleys, with sagebrush, salt flats, playas, and remnants of ancient lakes such as Lake Lahontan and Lake Bonneville. Its boundaries extend across parts of Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, and Idaho.

The Mojave and Colorado deserts occur farther south and are generally hotter. The Sonoran Desert lies mainly to the south and east, especially in Arizona and northwestern Mexico.