Fire-Whipping Los Angeles Winds Are Baffling Climate Scientists

Days before hurricane-force Santa Ana wind gusts fueled fires that devastated Los Angeles, meteorologists posted eerily accurate warnings that such a scenario was possible. But they’ve had a harder time pinpointing the role of climate change in events like this.

For the last several years, scientists have been debating whether Santa Anas will grow stronger or weaker, more frequent or more rare as the world warms — with little resolution. While some research has shown that these winds will become less common, the dry conditions that prime Southern California for blazes are expected to linger later in the season, colliding with the peak ...