Santa Ana winds
Topic: Atmospheric Pressure, Winds and General Circulation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Santa Ana winds are hot, dry and strong winds in southern California. They blow from the inland deserts out towards the coast and the sea, mainly in autumn and winter. The air is already dry, and it warms as it moves down from higher ground towards the coast. So it dries out plants and makes the air very dry. Any fire that starts spreads very fast.
Example
In January 2025, Santa Ana winds spread the wildfires that burned large areas around Los Angeles, on the coast of southern California.
Don't confuse with
- Chinook: also a warm, dry wind blowing downhill, but it blows on the eastern side of the Rockies. It is known as the "snow eater" because it melts snow, not for spreading fires near the coast.