A powerful Santa Ana windstorm is bringing hurricane-force gusts and fire risks to California. Here's everything you need to know about the weather phenomenon.

Santa Ana winds occur when air flows west from a region of high pressure over the dry Great Basin to lower pressure off the California coast, According to Accuweather. As that cool interior air flows over and through mountain passes, it accelerates, sinks and compresses.

The nature of the Santa Ana winds makes them perfectly suited to fueling blazes like the Palisades Fire, and climate change is increasing the risk

The devastating fires across Southern California are being driven by the Santa Ana winds, as incredibly dry and windy conditions continue to heighten the fire danger

Jon Keeley, a research ecologist in California with the U.S. Geological Survey and adjunct professor at UCLA, explains what causes extreme winds like this in Southern California, and why they create such a dangerous fire risk.

Devastating fires in the Los Angeles region are driven by Santa Ana winds blowing from California and Nevada’s interior deserts to the Pacific Ocean.

Katabatic winds? Adiabatic compression? Time for a thermodynamics lesson! The record lack of rain has also made this Santa Ana event different.

The threat of renewed fire danger looms over Southern California as strong Santa Ana winds are forecast to intensify Monday night, further endangering communities already grappling with a series of devastating wildfires.

The combined dry climate and flammable flora have created fires and firestorms before. In October 1978, the Agoura-Malibu and Mulholland Canyon fires burned more than 500 homes and killed three people. The Agoura-Malibu fire grew into a firestorm, a fire so intense it creates its own wind system.

Santa Ana occurs during the cooler months between September and May. Southern California ... Santa Ana winds pushed the fire south, where it went into the Santa Monica Mountains.

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme weather warning of a life-threatening and destructive windstorm

More evacuations were lifted Saturday as containment of the deadly Palisades Fire rose to 49%, with firefighters catching a break from the weather thanks to low clouds and good humidity levels. Winds are expected to remain calm through the weekend,