Why does the Caribbean side of Central America receive more rain than the Pacific side?

The Caribbean side of Central America receives significantly more rainfall than the Pacific side primarily due to the interaction between prevailing winds and the region's mountainous topography, a phenomenon known as orographic precipitation.12

Central America is dominated by mountain ranges that act as barriers to atmospheric flow. As moisture-laden trade winds blow from the Caribbean Sea toward the land, they are forced upward by these elevated terrains. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, resulting in heavy precipitation on the windward (Caribbean) slopes.1324

By the time this air crosses the mountain ridges and descends onto the Pacific side, it has lost much of its moisture. This subsiding air warms as it descends, increasing its capacity to retain moisture and creating a drier environment known as a rain shadow. Consequently, while the Caribbean coast often experiences year-round rainfall and lush tropical rainforests, the Pacific region typically features a more pronounced dry season and is characterized by tropical grasslands or savannas.4352