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 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

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.

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

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.

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.

Fire crews braced for a second round of strong Santa Ana winds this week. So far, eight deaths have been confirmed from the Palisades Fire.

A state of emergency has been declared in Southern California as fierce wildfires fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds continue to rage. Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as flames tear through coastal communities,

The ferocious Santa Ana winds ... Fierce winds were hindering firefighting efforts and fueling the fires, which have expanded since they began on Tuesday. Context: 3 reasons California's wildfires ...

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