The wind is rustling the leaves in the tree outside my back door; I can see the Nandina bushes bending and shaking through the front window. The Santa Ana winds have been blowing since yesterday, sending the pollution out to sea and making the LA air smell cleaner. Unfortunately, because the winds are dry, they make the fire danger significantly higher.
Santa Ana winds come from the Great Basin (Nevada and part of Utah) on the other side of the Sierra Nevada’s. They usually occur this time of year, and they are a part of the LA experience. The “devil’s breathe” is one name for them, especially if they come in summer because then they are dry and hot. Now they are dry and cool, so it’s pleasant, though they come at speeds of up to 45-50 miles per hour so it’s not uncommon to see palm fronds and tree limbs down after a strong few days of them.
Sometimes they are the “red winds” because they bring dust with them. Often people complain of allergies when the Santa Ana’s are blowing; many complain of sore throats and dry coughs.
My lips dry out and I have to keep a ready supply of lip balm on hand. Otherwise, they might start to crack. The humidity goes to 10 – 15%, so it’s not all that pleasant. “Just too dry,” many would say and the gusts knock over lawn furniture and send the dogs to barking. Right now Cordelia is barking at a scraping sound caused by the wind and a police siren is getting louder and louder as a police car makes its way up our street. Our doors bang open and shut throughout the house and our animals get a bit skittish.
Firemen know the Santa Anas will keep them busy since the low humidity coupled with the high winds make the probability of grass fires go up exponentially. Also, there are those who believe the same responses that are often equated to a full moon apply to the Santa Anas. “People just go crazy when the Santa Anas are blowing,” some say.
I love the sound of the wind in the trees so I’m not unhappy. I find the air refreshing; the motion a welcome relief after too many too hot days of summer. I just know to put an extra blanket on the bed. Those winds can make the night much cooler. For me, that soothing sound is a perfect accompaniment to sleep.
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