Huge fires are burning in California right now. Fires in Southern California are often driven by Santa Ana winds. These hot, dry, downsloping winds are a firefighter's nightmare. As the air descends off the mountains, adiabatic warming leads to increased temperature and decreased relative humidity. The fuels in this area are very dry and have accumulated for many years, since most of this area has not burned in a long time. It's a combination that is leading to very intense fires.
The westerly winds that prevail in our mid-latitudes are bringing the smoke to Boulder from both California and Colorado's western slope.
Monday, August 31, 2009
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