Sprinkles and light showers falling across Santa Barbara County late Sunday were expected to diminish on Monday morning, with warmer weather likely throughout the remainder of the week.

The South Coast was forecast to receive rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch in most areas, with about a quarter-inch falling in the North County, said Scott Sukup, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

The last time it rained in Santa Barbara was Sept. 3, when meager 0.01 of an inch was recorded, he said.

“We are expecting the rainfall amount to be pretty light,” Sukup said. “There could be a little bit more up in the foothills.”

Warming and drying trends are expected to begin early this week.

“After the rain goes through it will start to warm up,” Sukup said.

Temperatures on Monday should peak in the upper 70s for the Santa Barbara area.

Gusty, sundowner winds are predicted to develop Monday and Tuesday nights, prompting fire weather conditions in Santa Barbara County, Sukup said.

“It’s going to get a lot dryer,” he said. “It should warm up once the wind picks up in the next couple of days.”

Winds between 35 mph to 45 mph are possible Monday, with gusts up to 55 mph in the mountains.

Even warmer weather is on the way for Tuesday as temperatures are forecast to hit the 80s, Sukup said.

» Click here for the complete National Weather Service forecast.

» Click here for the latest rainfall totals for Santa Barbara County.

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.