If the rain falls at a steady, lighter rate, Southern California could be in good shape. That could mean enough rain to help ease the firefighting strain, but not enough to trigger another potential disaster. Heavier rain could mean the chance for flash flooding or mudslides over fresh burn scars.

Light rain continued to fall across Southern California on Wednesday afternoon as the first in a series of Pacific storm systems moved through the region. Rain generally measured under a half inch in the Los Angeles area,