In less than a week, Southern California’s weather has gone from unseasonably dry and warm – to wet and now bitterly cold. The National Weather Service says

The mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County are in “extreme drought” conditions, about 36% of the county, explained Pugh. That’s one category shy of hitting the highest level, “exceptional drought,” and three higher than the lowest, “abnormally dry.” The rest of the county is in severe drought.

A slow-moving low-pressure system will linger over the Southwest, bringing steady rain through at least Monday.

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.

Less than an inch of rain fell in most areas, but it was enough to loosen Los Angeles hillsides burned bare by the recent blaze near the Pacific Palisades.

How dry is it in Southern California? See the drought levels and recent rainfall totals for several counties in the region.

The rain that is expected to hit the scorched Los Angeles landscape this weekend may bring relief to the fire fights, but it could also bring flash floods and mudslides. Although forecasts show that the risk is relatively low, local officials are taking the warnings seriously.

An air quality alert was issued on Wednesday at 4:14 p.m. in effect until Thursday at 6 p.m. The alert is for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills and Orange County Inland.

California's insurance crisis risks triggering broader financial instability, an expert in economics and the environment warned.

Windy and dry conditions have returned to Southern California, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area that started in similar weather nearly two weeks ago.

Here’s what to know about the drought in select Southern California counties ... on record over the past 130 years. According to NOAA weather data, the San Diego area saw 0.14 inches of rain ...

Forecasts indicate that an atmospheric river will bring heavy rain and snowfall to much of the Pacific Northwest starting late this week and lasting through the weekend. With persistent heavy rainfall, flash flooding could become a concern for residents across the region.