What weather phenomenon describes warm downslope winds affecting California?

The Santa Ana winds are warm, dry winds that descend from the interior of California towards the coastal regions, particularly affecting Southern California. These winds typically occur during the fall and winter months, characterized by high-pressure systems over the Great Basin region. As the winds flow down the slopes of the mountains, they heat up due to adiabatic compression, leading to rapidly rising temperatures in the valleys and coastal areas.

This phenomenon is particularly influential in the weather patterns of California as it can lead to extremely dry conditions and significantly enhance fire risks during the fire season. The Santa Ana winds are known for their strong gusts, which can reach high speeds, further exacerbating the dry conditions that prevail during these events.

Other types of winds mentioned, such as Chinook and Foehn winds, share a similar descending warm wind pattern; however, they are more specifically associated with regions outside of California and often occur in the Rocky Mountains and the Alps, respectively. Trade winds are a completely different category, as they blow in a consistent east-to-west direction over tropical regions and are not characterized by the warm downslope effects seen in the Santa Ana winds.