Santa Ana winds
Hot desert winds
Santa Ana winds are hot, dry winds that blow from the inland deserts toward the Southern California coast, typically in autumn and early winter.
They occur when high pressure over the Great Basin forces air through mountain passes, where it compresses and heats as it descends.
The winds are notorious for spreading wildfires: Santa Ana conditions put firefighters on high alert.
Sometimes spelled Santana winds.
Downward-flowing cold wind
- downslopeToward lower elevation
- gustsSudden bursts of air
- high pressureStrong force per area
- Great BasinClosed hydrological region, American West
mountain pass · pressure gradient · October · foehn · chinook · sirocco · harmattan
Self-perpetuating intense blaze
- wildfireUncontrolled vegetation blaze
- conflagrationLarge destructive blaze
- emberGlowing coal fragment
- infernoDevastating, uncontrollable blaze
combustion · ignition · brush fire · chaparral · evacuation · firebreak · containment · red flag warning
Southwestern US coastal region
- Los AngelesSouthern California metropolis
- San DiegoMajor Southern California city
- Orange CountyCitrus-named jurisdiction
- VenturaCalifornia coastal municipality
Riverside · San Bernardino · Malibu · Pasadena · Coachella Valley · Palm Springs · Anaheim · Long Beach
Devoid of water
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- desiccatedThoroughly dehydrated
- dehydratedSeverely lacking moisture
- brittleLiable to shatter
drought · low humidity · static electricity · nosebleed · dry skin · withered · dusty · bone-dry
- restlessnessState of unease
- insomniaPersistent inability to rest
- headacheCranial pain
- irritabilityProneness to agitation
Extremely hot, burning
- blisteringExtremely intense or severe
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- swelteringExtremely hot, uncomfortably so
- searingBrowning with intense heat
oppressive · desiccating · hot spell · record temperatures · triple digits · heat advisory · temperature spike · dry heat
katabatic
Downward-flowing cold wind
- downslopeToward lower elevation
- gustsSudden bursts of air
- high pressureStrong force per area
Great Basin · mountain pass · pressure gradient · October · foehn · chinook · sirocco · harmattan
firestorm
Self-perpetuating intense blaze
- wildfireUncontrolled vegetation blaze
- conflagrationLarge destructive blaze
- emberGlowing coal fragment
inferno · combustion · ignition · brush fire · chaparral · evacuation · firebreak · containment · red flag warning · arson
Southern California
Southwestern US coastal region
- Los AngelesSouthern California metropolis
- San DiegoMajor Southern California city
- Orange CountyCitrus-named jurisdiction
Ventura · Riverside · San Bernardino · Malibu · Pasadena · Coachella Valley · Palm Springs · Anaheim · Long Beach · Glendale
arid
Devoid of water
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- desiccatedThoroughly dehydrated
- dehydratedSeverely lacking moisture
brittle · drought · low humidity · static electricity · nosebleed · dry skin · withered · dusty · bone-dry · humidifier
Raymond Chandler
- restlessnessState of unease
- insomniaPersistent inability to rest
- headacheCranial pain
Joan Didion · irritability · malaise · unease · anxiety · edginess · noir
scorching
Extremely hot, burning
- blisteringExtremely intense or severe
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- swelteringExtremely hot, uncomfortably so
searing · oppressive · desiccating · hot spell · record temperatures · triple digits · heat advisory · temperature spike · dry heat · stifling
Santa Ana windssea breeze
Wind from ocean to land
coastal breeze · marine layer · ocean breeze · westerly winds · westerlies
Santa Ana windsrainstorm
Heavy precipitation event
monsoon · atmospheric river · marine layer · coastal fog · wet season