Sand and Surf During Santa Ana Winds

November 04, 2007

Img_0764 copy

Provided by: Kay Meyer
Summary authors & editors: Kay Meyer

Not all of the effects from the ferocious fires in southern California last week were in and around the burn zone. The photo above was captured on October 21, on a Malibu beach. Earlier this day, Santa Ana winds gusted as high as 108 mph (172 km/h) in Malibu. Around 5:30 p.m. (local time), when this photo was taken, the sustained wind speed was 30 mph (48 km/h) with gusts up to about 50 mph (80 km/h). The sky was covered over with smoke from a nearby fire in the Malibu canyons. Note that the lighter colored sand to the right was actually sand grains blowing across the beach. Gale force winds ripped spray off the top of the waves, making them appear much larger. Fortunately, the couple at left weren't as close to the shoreline as they appear to be in this photo.