Why north winds are so dangerous during California wildfire seasons

SPREAD FASTER, BUT WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONSOU Y SHOULD BE WATCHING FOR THAT COULD PROVE CHALLENGING FOR FIREFIGHTERS MET. ISTH JERK FOR DOOR AND JOINS US TO EXPLA. INWHEN DEALING WITH WILDFIRES WI IS ALWAYS A CONCERN BUT WHEN THE WIND BLOWS FROM THE NORTH THE FIRE THREAT INCREASES TREMENDOUSLY THAT IS WHY FORECASTING THE WIND IS SO IMPORTANT IN NORTHERN, CALIFORNIA. SO HERE’S WHAT TO LOOK FOR IAN US THAT WLIL WARN YOU TO AN INCREASE IN FIRE DANGER IT ALL STARTS WITH PRESSURE AIR FLOWS CLOCKWEIS AROUND AASRE OF HIGH PRESSURE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE AROUND AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE. OKLO FOR THESE AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PSSREURE TO LINE UP TONG BRI ABOUT A NORTH WI ND. USUALLY THE CLOSER THE CENTERS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE. THEY ARE TOGETHER THE STRONGER THE WINDSIL WL BE THINK OF HIGH PRESSURE AS A MOUNTAIN OF AIR AND LOW PRESSURE. AS A VALLEY SO THE DIFFERENCE IN PRESSURE WILL CREATEHE T STRONGER WINDS. JUST REMEMBER THIS THE HIGHER THE HIGH AND THE LOWER THE LOW. THE FASTER THE WINDS WILL BLOW. NOW HERE’S A FORECAST. THIS IS A FORECAST MAP THAT YOU WODUL TYPICALLY SEE DURING A NEWSCAOU YST HAVE AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE. YOU CAN SEE THAT AREA OF LOW SUPRESRE MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWTES AND DROPPING DOWN OVER NE VADA THE WINDS BWINGLO ROUND COUNTERCLOCKWISE THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE, WHICH IS SITTING OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS TYPALIC HAS THOSE WINDS MOVING CLOCKWISE AROUND IT AND IN BETWEEN HERE WE GO. SO, IT’S CALIFORNIAITH W THE NORTH WIND THAT NORTH WIND THAT BRINGS THE INCREASED FIRE DANGER. SO NOW TTHA WE KNOW THAT THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A STRONG NORTH WIND. DAN THAT THAT WIND IS ON THE WAY. WHYS I A NORTH WIND DANGEROUS LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. AIR TAKES ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SURFACE TT HAIT SITS OVER. USUALLY A NORTH WIND BRINGS AIR ATTH HAS BEEN SITTING OVER LAND SO IT WILL BE TYPICALLY DRY. ATTH MEANS LOW HUMIDITY OFTEN. THE HUMIDITIES WILLE B IN THE SINGLE DIGITS LOW HUMIDITY MAKES THE FUELS LIKE GRASSES DERRY WHICH INCREASESHE T FIRE DANGER AND ALSO THADRT Y NORTH WIND DROPS FROM THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS AND AS IT DPSRO TO THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS, IT STARTS TOEA HT UP THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR WHICH THEN DRIES THE FU ELS. DECREASES THE HUMIDITY EVEN MORE MAKING IT EASIER FOR FIRES TO ARTST THE NORTH WIND ALSO GETS FUNNELED DOWN THE VALLEYS FROM THE SURRODINGUN MOUNTAINS AND THE CANYONS AND THAT INCREASES THE SPEED OF THE WIND. AND THAT ACTS LIKE A BELLOWS INCREASING THE AVAILABLE OXYGEN AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANY SPARK TO IGNITE THE DRYUELS F AND ONCE THE FIRE STARTS ITS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE STRONG WIND FROM PUSHING THE FLAMES ALONG THE GROUND AT A RAPID PACE AS WELLS A FLINGING ITS EMBERS MILES AHEAD OFHE T FIRE LINES CREATING UNPREDICTABLE SPOT FIRES THE DANGER THE NORTHIN WD BRINGS TO CALIFORNIA IS REAL AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW AS CALIFORNIAN GROWS DERRI THROUGH EACH SEASON, T HOBUPEFULLY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT WEATHER CAN HAVE WILL HELP IN THE PREPARATION PREVENTION AND COMBAT OF THIS DANGER. SO DANGEROUS. YEAH, AND WE GET NORTH WINDS IN SPRING AND FALL A LITTLE BIT DURING THE SUMMER, BUT WHEN WE GET THEM IN THE FL,AL THAT’S WHEN IT’S MOST DANGEROUS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A

We know that wind can make fires spread faster. But what are the conditions you should be watching for that could prove challenging for firefighters? Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn says wind is always a concern, but when the wind blows from the north the fire threat increases tremendously. That is why forecasting the wind is so important in Northern California.Here is what to look for in a forecast that will warn you to an increase in fire danger. It all starts with pressure. Air flows clockwise around areas of high pressure and counter-clockwise around areas of low pressure. Look for these areas of high pressure and low pressure to line up to bring about a north wind. Usually, the closer the centers of high pressure and low pressure are to each other the stronger the winds will be. Think of high pressure as a mountain of air and low pressure as a valley. So the difference in pressure will create the stronger winds. You can remember this, "The higher the high and the lower the low, the faster the winds will blow." Here’s why north winds are so dangerousIf we have looked at the forecast and know that a strong north wind is on the way, here is why that north wind is so dangerous.Air takes on the characteristics of the surface that it sits over. Usually, a north wind brings air that has been sitting over land, so it will typically be dry. That means low humidity.Often, humidity levels in the single digits (2% to 15%) will result. Low humidity makes fuels like grasses drier, which increases the fire danger.Also, the dry north winds drop from the surrounding mountains to the Valley floor. As the air sinks, its temperature increases which then dries the fuels and decreases the humidity even more – making it even easier for fires to start.The north wind also gets funneled down the valleys from the surrounding mountains and the canyons, which increases the speed of the winds. That acts as a bellows, increasing the available oxygen and the effectiveness of any spark to ignite the dry fuels.Once a fire starts, it is next to impossible to stop the strong wind from pushing the flames along the ground at a rapid pace and flinging its embers miles ahead of fire lines – creating unpredictable spot fires.The danger the north wind brings to California is real and it continues to grow as California grows drier through each season. But hopefully, an understanding of the impact weather can have will help in the preparation, prevention and to combat this danger.More Wildfire Resources2022 California Wildfire Preparedness Guide: What to know and how to stay safe 2022 Northern California wildfire resources: Where to find county evacuation info, maps, alerts and moreThis story was created as part of the KCRA 3 special "Wildfire Ready."

We know that wind can make fires spread faster. But what are the conditions you should be watching for that could prove challenging for firefighters?

Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn says wind is always a concern, but when the wind blows from the north the fire threat increases tremendously.

That is why forecasting the wind is so important in Northern California.

Here is what to look for in a forecast that will warn you to an increase in fire danger.

It all starts with pressure. Air flows clockwise around areas of high pressure and counter-clockwise around areas of low pressure.

Look for these areas of high pressure and low pressure to line up to bring about a north wind.

Usually, the closer the centers of high pressure and low pressure are to each other the stronger the winds will be.

Think of high pressure as a mountain of air and low pressure as a valley. So the difference in pressure will create the stronger winds.

You can remember this, "The higher the high and the lower the low, the faster the winds will blow."

Here’s why north winds are so dangerous

If we have looked at the forecast and know that a strong north wind is on the way, here is why that north wind is so dangerous.

Air takes on the characteristics of the surface that it sits over. Usually, a north wind brings air that has been sitting over land, so it will typically be dry. That means low humidity.

Often, humidity levels in the single digits (2% to 15%) will result. Low humidity makes fuels like grasses drier, which increases the fire danger.

Also, the dry north winds drop from the surrounding mountains to the Valley floor. As the air sinks, its temperature increases which then dries the fuels and decreases the humidity even more – making it even easier for fires to start.

The north wind also gets funneled down the valleys from the surrounding mountains and the canyons, which increases the speed of the winds. That acts as a bellows, increasing the available oxygen and the effectiveness of any spark to ignite the dry fuels.

Once a fire starts, it is next to impossible to stop the strong wind from pushing the flames along the ground at a rapid pace and flinging its embers miles ahead of fire lines – creating unpredictable spot fires.

The danger the north wind brings to California is real and it continues to grow as California grows drier through each season.

But hopefully, an understanding of the impact weather can have will help in the preparation, prevention and to combat this danger.

More Wildfire Resources

This story was created as part of the KCRA 3 special "Wildfire Ready."

Why north winds are so dangerous during California wildfire seasons

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Here is what to look for in a forecast that will warn you to an increase in fire danger.

Here’s why north winds are so dangerous

More Wildfire Resources

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