It wasn’t the kind of “March Miracle” that had erased San Diego County’s water worries in the past. But the loud and rowdy storm that drenched the region Thursday greatly eased the palpable threat of wildfires,

Rainfall rates exceeded a half-inch per hour at times Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

"This system is expected to be quite cold aloft which increases the chances of thunderstorms across the area, leading to an increased threat of flooding."