Santa Ana winds return to Southern California, prompting a Fire Weather Watch Tuesday through Thursday. The National Weather Service called this a "moderate" Santa Ana wind event. Temperatures are also expected to increase slightly. LOS ANGELES - A Fire ...

The start to the week is expected to be warmer with above average temperatures Monday and Santa Ana winds anticipated by mid-week, according to the National Weather Service.

To understand the Santa Ana winds, it’s important to first look at the larger atmospheric pattern that creates them. A strong high-pressure system builds in the Great Basin, located to the northeast of California.

San Diego County edged closer to drought Tuesday, whipped by fierce and damaging Santa Ana winds that further dried out a region that hasn’t gotten a long, deep soaking of rain since March.

Power to tens of thousands of people had been shut off by Monday night as utilities worked to mitigate the impacts of Southern California’s notorious Santa Ana winds, whose strong gusts could damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires.

Parts of Southern California are still facing "elevated to brief "critical conditions" into Thursday night as a fast-moving wildfire that forced thousands in Malibu to evacuate continues to grow.Threat level: Red Flag warnings ended as powerful Santa Ana winds eased on Wednesday afternoon,

But in California, the same effect is named the Santa Ana wind. Instead of melting snow, Santa Ana winds deliver warm air with very low humidity to the coast of California and this wind is often very strong where it is channeled through the canyons common along California's coastal region.