Steve Ackerman and Jonathan Martin, professors in the UW-Madison department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, are guests ...

How do the Santa Ana winds form? The winds are created by high pressure over the Great Basin — a desert region that spans several states, including California, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

To understand how the Santa Ana winds form, Mr. Hall said, imagine the Great Basin as “a big bowl,” topographically speaking, its sides lined with holes representing mountain passes.

The mountain range creates a wind tunnel effect, accelerating the air to higher speeds. In some cases, gusts can reach 100 mph. Altogether, this strong, dry and warming wind can spread wildfires ...

The Santa Ana winds form in a western area of the country known as the Great Basin, which includes Nevada and part of Utah. The basin sits at a higher elevation than Southern California.

How do they form? Santa Anas are created by high pressure ... Humidity levels often plunge to single-digit percentages during a Santa Ana wind. The extreme lack of humidity in the air causes ...

Answer: The Santa Ana winds have everything to do with weather. It starts with a high-pressure area over the Great Basin.

The Santa Ana winds are fanning the flames of the Palisades ... During the winter months, large areas of high pressure can form over the Great Basin region of the United States, typically a ...

The high-pressure systems usually form in the fall and winter but can occur at any time of year. This graphic describes how Santa Ana winds typically start. (Photo: National Weather Service ...

While the cause of fires remains unknown, the severity and growth of these fires can be attributed to the weather, specifically, the Santa Ana winds. Typically, the winds in Southern California ...