http://www.sailtimechannelislands.com/california-sailing/anatomy-of-a-santa-ana-wind-storm/ Go sailing in Southern California with SailTime Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.sailtimechannelislands.com/california-sailing/anatomy-of-a-santa-ana-wind-storm/comment-page-1/#comment-583 Frank Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:00:38 +0000 http://www.sailtimechannelislands.com/california-sailing/?p=224#comment-583 Your reference of the winds blowing from the Great Basin under (Santa Anas) causes an off shore wind is not quite correct. The off shore winds are caused by the high pressure that forms over the Great Basin, due to cold air in the fall which turns in a clock wise direction. This movement of air is forced down the canyons, which you have mentioned, but it is the conpressional heating, that causes the high temps to form. This is much like poking holes into a full can of water. There isn't much water movement in the can, but the water flowing out of the can is quite dramatic. Your reference of the winds blowing from the Great Basin under (Santa Anas) causes an off shore wind is not quite correct. The off shore winds are caused by the high pressure that forms over the Great Basin, due to cold air in the fall which turns in a clock wise direction. This movement of air is forced down the canyons, which you have mentioned, but it is the conpressional heating, that causes the high temps to form. This is much like poking holes into a full can of water. There isn’t much water movement in the can, but the water flowing out of the can is quite dramatic.

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