Southern California Braces For Fierce Santa Ana Winds
Dangerously strong Santa Ana winds are expected to blast through Southern California in the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
Described as "a once-a-decade-type windstorm" by AccuWeather meteorologist Ken Clark, the fiercest gusts could range from up to 80 to 100 mph.
Advisories are warning the weather could take down trees and power lines, spread debris and create hazardous driving conditions. The winds will move through the area starting Wednesday night and lasting through Friday, with peak winds expected on early Thursday morning.
"This has been described as a five to ten year Santa Ana event. That means we haven't seen the likes of this in five to ten year expanse," reported NBC LA forecaster Fritz Coleman. "There will be a heightened fire danger and there will be some real travel issues."
Although California will be the hardest hit, wind advisories are also in effect in other areas of the Southwest, including parts of Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
Another interesting thing about the Santa Ana winds is that many believe they have psychological effects on people. It's not a new theory - in fact, the name is said to come from the Spanish word for devil, "Santana." Because these "devil winds" blow in from the desert, they are unusually loaded with positive ions. And for some reason, positive ions seem to cause people to be more anxious and irritable.
What do you think? If you live in the Los Angeles area, have you felt at all out of sorts today?
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