Most San Diegans woke up Monday to puddles or downpours, a welcome respite from the 40-plus day drought the region had experienced. The county's first significant rainstorm of the season brought totals Monday ranging from a quarter to half an inch near the coast to more than an inch in the mountain slopes, according to the National Weather Service.

A critical fire threat will continue across County as Santa Ana winds and dry conditions persist through early Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — At long last, San Diego received its first significant rainfall — and snow — in months over the weekend. The precipitation, which was brought on by a cold low pressure system, was a much-needed break from stubborn arid conditions primed for potentially erratic fire behavior.

Overnight, isolated lightning strikes were reported, primarily over coastal waters and nearby land areas, but thunderstorm chances were expected to decrease by Monday morning.

On the heels of critical fire weather, fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds, those in San Diego County’s mountain areas will soon be under a Winter Storm Watch, according to the National Weather

Scattered rain showers fell across San Diego County over the weekend, bringing some slight respite during what the National Weather Service has referred to as the driest start to San Diego's water year.

As wildfires continued to burn in Los Angeles, three fires broke out in San Diego County, prompting evacuation orders and warnings.

Nearly 100,000 San Diegans could loose power during the next round of power shutoffs after the National Weather Service issued another Red Flag Warning for the region for Monday and Tuesday as Santa Ana winds return.

With parts of Los Angeles County still smoldering from wildfires, the expected rain this weekend would seem like a welcome relief. But how the rain falls could make the difference between a disaster respite or a disaster repeat.

Officials cautioned that ash in recent burn zones was a toxic mix of incinerated cars, electronics, batteries, building materials, paints, furniture and other household items.

San Diego County's first significant rainstorm of the season brought totals Monday ranging from a quarter to half an inch near the coast to over an inch in the mountain slopes, according to the National Weather Service.