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

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.

Millions of people across Southern California are under a Red Flag warning as a dangerous windstorm fanned blazes in the Los Angeles area, including the Palisades Fire, which has triggered evacuations and burned hundreds of acres.