The Santa Ana winds are dry, powerful winds that blow down the mountains toward the Southern California coast. The region sees about 10 Santa Ana wind events a year on average, typically occurring from fall into January. When conditions are dry, as they are right now, these winds can become a severe fire hazard.

A "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning remains in effect as strong winds cause extreme fire danger in Southern California.

One of the biggest stories of 2025 thus far has been the wildfires in California. A common occurrence in that state, wildfires are often fueled by a combination of drought and terrain. The terrain allows for the development of Santa Ana winds that cause any fire to spread very quickly.

At least five wildfires are ravaging Southern California, and the three largest have already killed at least five people, burned tens of thousands of acres and prompted the evacuation of an estimated 179,

The winds fueling Southern California wildfires form when a high-pressure system develops over the Great Basin in Utah and Nevada

Southern California will experience cooler and breezy temperatures over the weekend before another Santa Ana event develops early next week.

Fire weather watch. A Fire Weather Watch will be in effect for most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Monday and Tuesday, as northeast Santa Ana winds will likely bring criti