The Los Angeles wildfires currently ravaging the landscape are believed to be triggered by the potent combination of strong Santa Ana winds and prolonged periods of drought. These winds, which typically occur between September and May, have recently reached an alarming velocity, gusting at speeds of up to 100mph (160km/h), significantly contributing to the rapid spread of the wildfires.

Adding fuel to the fire, so to speak, is the drought that has been afflicting Southern California. This has resulted in the vegetation in the area becoming extremely dry, thereby serving as additional fuel for the ongoing wildfires. Despite a recent easing of the winds, gusts of up to 70mph are still a very real possibility, a fact that is worsening the already compromised air quality due to the spreading smoke from the fires.

Firefighters are finding it particularly challenging to control the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. Its intensity has been heightened by the Santa Ana winds and the dry conditions, a scenario that has been exacerbated by the global phenomenon of climate change.

In stark contrast, the eastern U.S. is currently grappling with a major winter storm. This has led to widespread closures and power outages due to the interaction of cold air masses with moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.

These two weather events – the wildfires in the west and the winter storm in the east – are not random occurrences. They are influenced by large-scale atmospheric patterns such as the jet stream and phenomena like La Niña conditions and atmospheric blocking.

What is significant about these severe weather events is that they are triggered by different causes, but are both influenced by climate change. This underscores the urgent need for increased weather resiliency and further advancements in weather science. It is clear that understanding and addressing the effects of climate change should be a priority if we are to have any hope of mitigating the impact of these destructive weather events in the future.

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