Weather & Science
Los Angeles Fires and Winter Drought Likely Linked to Ocean Heat
Ridges of high pressure that refuse to break down have created dangerously dry conditions across Southern California and the US Northeast.
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Winter used to be the one time of year Southern California didn’t have to worry about wildfires. Instead, the region has started to burn.
January is the heart of California’s rainy season, when cool storms from the Gulf of Alaska paint hillsides green with new grass. But this year, a stubborn high-pressure ridge has created a virtual force field near Los Angeles that has blocked moisture for months.