Santa Ana Setup Bringing the Heat into Southern California

Santa Ana Winds

Whenever we have high-pressure systems out in the West Coast, the possibility of a Santa Ana wind setup becomes likely. The NWS in Los Angeles warns critical fire danger is likely on Wednesday because of low humidity, gusty winds, and high heat.

During this phenomenon, winds head westward due to the high pressure's clockwise motion. These winds will pass over the dry, desert region of the southwest and head west through the mountain passages in Southern California. During their descent, the air compresses, causing their temperatures to rise.

These winds are expected to bring well above-average temperatures for Southern California. In some spots, we can expect temperatures that are close to 15 degrees above average. This puts several cities in the high 80s in late October!

As a result, the National Weather Service has issued multiple heat advisories and red flag warnings across LA county and the surrounding areas.

This heat will also come with the potential to break some additional records. Some of these forecast temperatures have Long Beach feeling like summer when most people are sharpening their skis to hit the slopes!