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.

Since Jan. 8, one wave after another of fierce Santa Anas have blown through Southern California. Thus far, the San Diego area has escaped the devastation seen in the Los Angeles areas by wind-whipped blazes that leveled homes and forced evacuations.

The fires come as San Diego County mountains and valleys, along with other parts of Southern California, remain under a red flag warning.

An uptick in Santa Ana winds Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, combined with critically dry vegetation and low humidity, will result in elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions in County through late Thursday.

Scores of residents were urged to flee as fast-moving fires hurtled through bone-dry brush in Bonsall and Mission Valley Tuesday

While communities in the San Bernardino Mountains saw most of the snowy action with more than a foot of fresh powder falling over the last two days, Palomar Mountain here in San Diego County was close behind,

Overnight, isolated lightning strikes were reported, primarily over coastal waters and nearby land areas. A small possibility of thunderstorms remains early in the week. “Any thunderstorm will be accompanied by lightning and could contain locally gusty and erratic winds,

Scattered showers are expected early this week for San Diego County, with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon into Monday morning for the coast, valleys and mountains, forecasters said Sunday.