Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago

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The weather phenomenon known as Santa Ana winds is partly to blame for the wildfires impacting Los Angeles. But what exactly are Santa Ana winds, where do they come from, and are they normal for this time of the year?

Alexander Gershunov—a research meteorologist at Scripps Oceanography and research collaborator with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) at Scripps—answers common questions related to these winds, and what's on the forecast for fire season.