NORFOLK, Va. — A storm system is threatening to dump inches of rain on Hampton Roads this weekend, which could leave a mess on the roads... and in your yard.
Norfolk city leaders are keeping an eye on the wet weather while public works crews stay ahead of Mother Nature.
"We have daily operations to make sure those storm drains are treated where they need to be treated,” said Norfolk Public Works Management analyst Alana Smith.
Every day, yellow Vactor trucks and ditch crews clear debris across the Mermaid City to prepare for the next rainfall.
“There hasn’t been any proof that any area has been flooding worse than before,” Smith said. “But as we know it’s Norfolk, we are the second lowest city in the nation. So, those areas that we know that typically tend to flood, you can kind of anticipate if we have a lot of rain to just be more cautious in those areas.”
When any rain event pops up in the forecast, Ghent residents share on Facebook how they prepare. Some neighbors said they make sure their sump pumps are working, pick up boxes off the basement floor, empty rain barrels, park on higher ground and clean gutters and drains.
Many of those steps are preparations that Alana Smith, the Norfolk Public Works management analyst, said give crews a leg up on the weather.
“When residents keep their curb lines clean, keep it free of vegetation, free of litter, that helps storm drain systems move,” Smith said.
She said underpasses in the city have their own pump stations.
"But in the instance that something fails, we do have backup equipment that can handle that as well,” Smith said.
Before drivers head out during the stormy weekend, Smith urged them to play it safe and check the Waze app for detours.
“We do recommend that residents don’t drive through the floods,” Smith said.
Norfolk City leaders encourage residents to join their virtual ‘Flood Ready’ workshop tonight at 6:30 p.m. to learn about storm resources like emergency plans, flood insurance and other preventative measures. Residents can click here to follow the link.
