The recent storm brought some much needed moisture to Southern California without the dangerous mudslides some feared. But did it help reduce the fire danger?

The first significant storm of the season brought snow and downpours to Southern California that doused wildfires and caused some ash and mud to flow across streets in the Los Angeles area on Monday.

Much-needed rain has begun to fall over Southern California, bringing relief to the drought-stricken region but also the threat of toxic runoff.

Mudflows prompted the closures of at least some roads, including in Topanga Canyon and on parts of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA issued an updated flood watch at 9:21 a.m. on Sunday valid from 10 a.m. until Monday 4 p.m. The watch is for Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu Coast, Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area,

Heavy rain beginning Sunday afternoon caused some mudslides, and snow closed part of Interstate 5 near Los Angeles.

A flood watch was issued by the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA on Friday at 1 p.m. valid from Sunday 4 p.m. until Monday 4 p.m. The watch is for Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu Coast, Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area,

Forecasters in Southern California expect to issue a 'particularly dangerous situation' red flag warning for the coming week as the Santa Ana wind forecast worsens.

Southern California will continue to face "dangerous ... Santa Clarita Valley, western Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains and western San Gabriel Mountains are among the areas affected.

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.

Critical fire weather conditions continued for areas of Southern California on Wednesday ... of low humidity and an expected uptick in Santa Ana winds, according to the National Weather Service.

Wildfires in Southern California have prompted major discussions about water in the state. Here's an overview of where water comes from in the region.