Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

Santa Ana winds: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Near 90 in November as Santa Anas bring fire risk plus heat, especially along the coast • Nov. 5, 2026, 6:35 PM ET (Los Angeles Times)
Southern California fires ease as Santa Ana winds die down. But rain could bring new risks • Oct. 18, 2026, 8:25 PM ET (Los Angeles Times)
High Santa Ana winds continue across Southern California, cooldown in sight for the weekend • Oct. 16, 2026, 5:16 PM ET (Los Angeles Daily News)
Santa Ana Winds Bring Wildfires to Southern California. Here's What To Know • Oct. 15, 2026, 12:22 PM ET (Time Magazine)

Facts

Also Known As devil winds • Santa Anas

Photos

Illustration showing the process of Santa Ana winds in California, with a map indicating high-pressure air from the Great Basin moving southwest toward the coast, funneled through mountains and valleys, warming and drying the air, which increases wildfire risk. Numbered labels explain each step and a wildfire is depicted at the end of the wind path.
See All Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics