Is it possible for a desert to be right next to an ocean?

Question

Is it possible for a desert to be right next to an ocean?

Answer 1

Absolutely, just check out many Middle Eastern countries or Baja.

Answer 2

There's no set definition of a desert but it's generally somewhere that has very low rainfall - could be sand, ice, rock, earth.  Many such places exist alongside oceans.

Whilst virtually all rain begins life as evapouration from the seas and oceans it will only fall where it's carried by the wind and if the prevailing wind blows away from the land then it's not going to get much rainfall despite being right next to the ocean.

Odd as it may seem, most of Antarctica is a desert, it's just that it's very cold so it's a desert of ice rather than the conventional desert of sand.  Antarctica is surrounded by ocean and for most of it there's very little precipitation.

Answer 3

Absolutely.  Read about the Atacama desert in Chile, one of the driest in the world.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natur...

Answer 4

it depends!!it could but usually it doesn't

Answer 5

Yup. Many islands in the ocean are desert-like, and there are many cases where arid sand dunes make it within just a few feet on the ocean.

The ocean is water, yes. When positioned correctly, a location may get little to no rain in a year and create a desert environment.

Answer 6

Most of the middle east, Dubai for example. The ocean is salt water so irrigation is a no no. Then there is New Jersey, I know it's not a desert but it should be!