Other Local Winds - Santa Ana Winds

• Hot, dry winds that often sweep through the L.A. Basin in the fall and winter.

• Need a strong high over the southwestern U.S. -->>

• winds descend from the higher desert terrain down in to the L.A. Basin - parcels become warmer and drier due to compressional heating

• wind speeds are enhanced as the flow channels through the mountain passes

• a satellite view of a Santa Ana event:

• Fires during October, 2007:

  • large-scale visible

  • zoomed visible

  • 3.9 micron