As the South prepped for snow and more cold starting Wednesday, residents in Southern California faced off with hurricane-strength winds.

The Santa Ana winds are dry, powerful winds that blow down the mountains toward the Southern California coast. The region sees about 10 Santa Ana wind events a year on average, typically occurring from fall into January. When conditions are dry, as they are right now, these winds can become a severe fire hazard.

The relentless California wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles area, with the Palisades and Eaton fires scorching a combined 36,000 acres as of Saturday