Wicked east wind

I am but mad north-north-west. 

When the wind is southerly, 

I know a hawk from a handsaw.

Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2

If you've experienced the Santa Ana winds in southern California, it's unforgettable. The mellow coastal humidity suddenly drops, and a hot desert wind whips down through the tinder dry mountain canyons making your nerves jump. People start to go a little crazy. The polluted LA atmosphere becomes strangely pure and clear and everything stands out in sharp relief-- until wildfires fill the air with smoke. 

We just had a rare-for-September "east wind event," more like a winter storm.  Our garage weather vane started pointing in an odd direction yesterday afternoon. Near Puget Sound, the gentle breezes usually come up from the south. And when the vent over our kitchen stove starts banging, we know some big wind is brewing.

Several major highways closed in eastern Washington because of low visibility from blowing dust and smoke. A nightmare for people trying to get home after the holiday weekend.  

There's a strong smell of smoke in the air this morning from wildfires burning all over the state.

The winds have dropped down, but the air quality is so poor they're advising us to stay inside with the windows closed. More record heat ahead, until we finally get back to the pleasant 70's on Friday.  Strange times in the West.