How does the Alaska Range act as a climatic barrier within Alaska?

The Alaska Range acts as a significant climatic barrier by separating the interior tundra from the Pacific coastal region.1

By obstructing the movement of air masses, the range influences regional weather patterns through orographic precipitation. As moist air from the Pacific is forced upward over the mountains, it cools and releases its moisture as rain or snow on the windward side. Consequently, the area on the leeward side of the range experiences a rain shadow, resulting in lower rainfall and contributing to the more arid conditions characteristic of the continental zone.23