That’s leading to the creation of mountain waves, which arise when strong winds blow perpendicular to a mountain range. The waves shoot down the coastal side of the mountains, gaining speed along the way, and are more casually referred to as simple Santa Ana winds.

Dire warnings have been issued for the Los Angeles area, with a dangerous threat for the strongest wind event in more than a decade. Outages and extreme fire behaviours are major risks

Thousands of people fled their homes as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades quickly spread to 1,260 acres Tuesday, a blaze which authorities said could grow further as even stronger winds are expected through the night.