Youre in the lee of a hill and surrounded by trees. Makes for a strong wind gradient. Reminded me of a fire back Oct 07 started at the substation just north of you by a tree into powerlines arcing in a 60+  mph NE.  Started at 5am. By 1130 it ate 195 homes. Im just downwind another  2 miles and theres a solid column of smoke all day moving SW. Winds are so high they wont fly the tankers. We’re outside clearing branches and checking the garden hose ready to defend our hut. I’m all the while thinking, “Where are the planes?” as the winds subsided a bit around 4pm I hear the whine of the red bellied 707 and see it low, slow and northbound. What a welcome sight. Went driving around to check things out, copters picking up water from the lake, leading edge of the fire crawling down to Dart canyon. Caught this pic on day 2 of the smoke making its way over the ridge toward the Pacific. When they say “It’s blowing down”, It really is.

@ Thomas

Santa Anna winds scare me much more when flying a HG or PG , rather than

when in a heavy sailplane ; our light wing loading, makes us quite vulnerable

like a butterfly  ! :(

Bille

You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0.  The video.  Wow does he look young….