Santa Ana Winds Forecast by the End of the Week in Southern California

Southern California is in store for a Santa Ana wind event beginning on Friday. Read on for the potential impacts and a closer look at what communities may be impacted by the windy conditions.

Forecasters Warn of Return of Santa Ana Winds to Southern California

A storm coming to life in the upper levels of the atmosphere over the Desert Southwest will trigger the notorious Santa Ana winds in Southern California by the end of the week. Despite spinning high in the atmosphere hundreds of miles away from Southern California, the storm will usher in strong winds to the surface for a few days.

This atmospheric setup differs from how the Santa Ana winds are typically produced. In a more common setup, these high winds ignite when high pressure builds farther inland to the east into the Great Basin. Although there will be less pressure in association with the upcoming wind event, the storm forming in the jet stream will be powerful enough to drive the Santa Ana event.

The developing storm is forecast to generate volatile northeast winds that roar over mountains and through canyons before reaching the coastal areas of Southern California. Forecasters are predicting that the winds will whip up on Friday and persist through the day Saturday.