High winds have been a key ingredient of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, and after a brief lull at the end of last week they are forecast to intensify through the middle of this week. That's certain to complicate the fight against blazes that have killed at at least 24 people, incinerated thousands of buildings and are likely to be one of the costliest natural disasters ever in the U.S.
Here's a deeper look at the science behind wind, including what it is, what causes it and how it behaves in the geography around southern California.
