The catastrophic fires in Los Angeles on the US west coast are repeatedly fanned by high winds. The infamous Santa Ana winds, also known to Californians as the “devil’s breath,” are responsible for this.
The German weather service describes the phenomenon as a “dry, warm foehn wind”, which occurs regularly, especially in late autumn and winter. Then the air from the high plateau between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada flows towards the Pacific Ocean and warms considerably as it drops in altitude and crosses the Mojave Desert.
According to weather experts, the “devil’s breath” eventually reaches the California coast as an extremely dry and hot wind.
Canyons as Catapult
As the wind forces itself through narrow passes and canyons, it reaches very high speeds. “If you take a garden hose with water flowing through it and reduce the opening, you increase the speed of the water and see a similar effect,” writes the University of California.
When the Santa Anas blow, temperatures in Los Angeles can reach 30 degrees even in winter. Combined with their high wind speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, moisture loss and longer dry periods, they make the region very vulnerable to forest fires.
Where does the name come from?
The most common explanation is that the wind is named after Santa Ana Canyon in Orange County, Southern California. But he has other nicknames, such as ‘Devil’s Wind’ or ‘Red Wind’.
The Santa Ana winds are also often mentioned in literature, films and music. The Beach Boys released a song in 1980 called “Santa Ana Winds,” in which they aptly called the phenomenon the “wind of fire.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
