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

The winds are common in California in the colder months, but they can sometimes help spread dangerous wildfires.

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.