The Hughes Fire near Castaic, California, has burned over 5,000 acres, prompting evacuations and school closures.

"A strong Santa Ana Wind event is expected to develop Monday and last through at least Tuesday," the National Weather Service said.

After a weekend of reprieve allowing fire teams to continue making progress battling the deadly infernos burning in Los Angeles County, Southern California now faces another round of fire-fueling Santa Ana Winds Monday.

Steve Ackerman and Jonathan Martin, professors in the UW-Madison department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, are guests on WHA radio (970 AM) at noon the last Monday of each month. Send them your questions at [email protected] or [email protected].

Santa Ana winds finally delivered a big, direct hit on San Diego County Tuesday, gusting as high as 102 mph in the backcountry where a touch of long-overdue rain could arrive this weekend.

After a much quieter weekend, Southern California is experiencing a major shift in the weather pattern. The winds will peak Monday evening and overnight but extend into Tuesday morning.

Much of inland San Diego County was whipped yet again by a strong Santa Ana wind event Monday into Tuesday, contributing to risky fire conditions as the region remains bone-dry.

A wind-driven wildfire charred dozens of acres in the sparsely developed northeastern reaches of San Diego County, damaging structures and forcing pre-dawn evacuations before crews could gain the upper hand on the flames Wednesday.

“I’m on my way, “she said excitedly when I finally agreed to spend the night at her apartment. When we left my house at about 4:30 that afternoon, fires were not on our minds. Yet approximately an hour and a half later Altadena was ablaze. The Eaton fire had started in Eaton Canyon barely two miles from my home.

The backstory: Russian thistles, better known as tumbleweeds, arrived in South Dakota in the 1870s most likely via a shipment of flaxseeds from Russia that was contaminated with the invasive seeds. Read on... for more on what scientists are doing to combat the invasive species.

The first significant rainfall in several months will spread across Southern California this weekend, giving a badly needed sip of water to an area parched by drought and devastated by multiple raging wildfires.