A rare Particularly Dangerous Situation warning has been issued for Southern California as a powerful and potentially damaging Santa Ana wind event​ is expected.

The ferocious Santa Ana winds that helped fuel the deadly wildfires around Los Angeles are forecast to ease later Wednesday, but they may return.

Santa Ana winds in Southern California are often-fierce winds that topple power lines and trees and can turn a spark into a raging wildfire.

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.

The winds fueling Southern California wildfires form when a high-pressure system develops over the Great Basin in Utah and Nevada

Katabatic winds? Adiabatic compression? Time for a thermodynamics lesson! The record lack of rain has also made this Santa Ana event different.

While winds will be weaker on Thursday, another Santa Ana wind event is forecasted for Friday, with wind advisories likely in the Santa Clarita Valley to Point Mugu area from early morning to early afternoon, according to the NWS Los Angeles.

Intense Santa Ana winds gusting over 70 miles per hour are the major contributing factor to the massive California wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area, not only exacerbating the deadly fires but driving them toward the Pacific Ocean.

As winds across the Southern California area are calmer than their peak and firefighters are making progress, the threat to the fire-weary region remains with Santa Ana winds expected to continue in the coming days.

The Santa Ana winds fanning wildfires that have killed at least 25 people in Southern California and destroyed more than 10,000 houses, businesses and other structures in Greater Los Angeles are flaring up again.

Now, Santa Ana winds are expected to sweep through the area early next week, accompanied by low humidity, meaning more potentially dangerous fire conditions. Here's what to expect over the weekend and into next week.