A La Niña winter just started, but it isn't expected to last long. National forecasters are already looking ahead to the spring season.

The National Weather Service has warned of a life-threatening and destructive windstorm set to affect some of Southern California.

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

Maps released by the National Weather Service show what areas in SoCal will be hit the hardest by what could be the strongest windstorm in more than a decade.

On Sunday at 4:25 p.m. an air quality alert was issued valid until Tuesday at 10 p.m. The alert is for Calabasas and Agoura Hills, Eastern San Fernando Valley, Eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area,

On Sunday at 4:16 p.m. an air quality alert was issued valid until Tuesday at 10 p.m. The alert is for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, San Bernardino County Mountains, Riverside County Mountains,

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that the devastation caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles has been catastrophic and that he is anxious the death toll may increase. “Please be patient with us,

The stream of smoke is also visible from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). The GeoColor imagery below is a six-hour time lapse from Saturday that "looks approximately as it would when viewed with human eyes from space," according to the NOAA.

The Pacific Northwest, Midwest and Northeast are expected to face above-average precipitation, according to NOAA. States with a higher chance of increased precipitation between November and January include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

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A dry season down south could worsen already concerning drought conditions in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The predictions for the middle band of the U.S. are more of a toss-up.

This condition will bring low marine clouds with pockets of fog and mist to the coastal regions during late afternoon and evening. Otherwise, moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph) Santa Lucia (northeasterly) winds are forecast during the night and morning driving the marine layer off the sea and leaving behind clear skies.