We’re hearing a lot recently about the raging wildfires in California and the Santa Ana winds that fan the fires. You might ask what this has to do with bucket trucks … well, once the wildfires are extinguished, California is going to have to rebuild communities – that includes the utility poles and power lines. We’re kinda partial to utility equipment vehicles here, so we can think of lots of other ways bucket trucks and digger derricks will be used in the restoration process.
But, getting back to Santa Ana winds, what the heck are they? Are they named after Santa Anna, the leader of Mexican troops at the Battle of the Alamo? Or for the city of Santa Ana? You’re probably frantically searching for your cell phone to Google “Santa Ana winds.” For safety reasons – in case you’re in your bucket, it is thought that the name comes from the Santa Ana canyon in Orange County, CA., near the city of Santa Ana.
But what are Santa Ana winds? Rather than get into topics like dry adiabatic lapse rates and katabatic winds, we got this from the National Weather Service (NWS) — Santa Ana winds are strong down slope winds that blow through the mountain passes in southern California. These winds, which can easily exceed 40 miles per hour, are warm and dry and can severely exacerbate brush or forest fires, especially under drought conditions.
This graphic from the NWS gives a good explanation.
Wind squeezing through a canyon gains velocity, much as water gains speed when a hose is squeezed. The winds are compressed as they flow downhill through the canyons, causing them to heat up and dry out even more. A low-pressure system situated in Mexico, with its counterclockwise flow of air, would work in conjunction with the high pressure in Nevada, making the Santa Ana winds even stronger and more threatening.
Santa Ana winds can break tree limbs, raise clouds of dust, and cause wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly. In more extreme cases, wind gusts can reach hurricane force – 74 mph. Those conditions can result in whole trees being knocked over and widespread power outages.
Typically, Santa Ana winds last for 12 to 24 hours, but sometimes strong winds can persist for a few days. The devastation can be severe, and we thought those of you who may be called to restoring power and cleaning up fallen trees in California may benefit from this blog. We wish all the best for the residents of the impacted areas and for the linemen, fire fighters and rescue workers who are there to help.
For businesses that own bucket trucks and digger derricks, Utility Equipment Parts can get you what is needed to be ready for these weather events. We have assisted many companies that were involved in helping hurricane-ravaged areas in 2018. We stand ready to help in whatever bucket truck and/or digger derrick needs you may have. Buckets, liners, ropes, augers, hydraulic parts – just a few of the items we offer.
Contact Utility Equipment Parts (UEP) today for your digger derrick needs or any other parts and accessories for your bucket truck or crane.
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