Historical Context for Wind Speeds
Wind conditions on January 7, 2025, during the Palisades Fire, were within historical norms and do not support claims of extreme or unprecedented weather. Analysis from 44 nearby weather stations shows that, during the critical containment window between 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the highest recorded wind speed came from Station KCAMALIB52 in Malibu. At 12:15 p.m., this station recorded sustained winds of 35.7 mph. Based on historical data dating back to 1947, there have been 87 days with wind speeds equal to or exceeding this value, demonstrating that such conditions are not rare.
Over the course of the entire day, the highest wind speed again came from the same Malibu station, peaking at 40.8 mph at 10:45 p.m. Even this daily maximum is not historically significant; there have been 26 days since 1947 with equal or higher wind speeds.
Additionally, Station KLAX, located at Los Angeles International Airport, recorded a maximum sustained wind speed of 29 mph at 8:00 p.m. on the same day. Since 1947, there have been 453 days with equal or greater wind speeds than this KLAX measurement.
For context, hurricane-force winds begin at 74 mph, with Category 1 hurricanes ranging from 74 to 95 mph. The wind speeds recorded on January 7, 2025, fell far below these thresholds and were consistent with typical seasonal wind events in the region. There is no meteorological basis for the assertion that the fire’s growth occurred under hurricane-strength or historically extreme wind conditions.
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