STOCKTON, Calif. — It was a dry day for most of San Joaquin County Thursday, but forecasters expect Friday to be a washout as California continues to deal with the impacts of a powerful atmospheric river storm — the first major one of the season.
People living in San Joaquin County spent Thursday planning accordingly.
"When I see leaves everywhere, it’s like 'ah,'" said Stockton resident Sylvia Lomas standing outside her home with a broom and dustpan in hand. "That gutter right there, it gets pretty flooded there, so I try to get that corner."
Lomas saw the weather reports and jumped into action, blowing leaves away before dumping them into a yard waste bin.
Meanwhile, several streets away, Julian Rodriguez chose to rake his leaves, a decision he made before realizing a storm was approaching.
"Honestly, it just started getting gloomy," said Rodriguez. "The leaves fall. Sometimes the wind blows it right, but then sometimes you’ve just got to do it yourself."
This time, the winds blew the leaves everywhere in front of his and his neighbors' homes so it was up to him to clean it up. As he raked, light rain began to fall from the overcast sky.
"Drive safe, there are slick roads," said Rodriguez. "Check your tires. Check your roof, maybe it needs some caulk."
Officials say now is also a good time to check emergency plans.
"Include those evacuation routes, making sure that you are also discussing your family’s unique needs and including those in your emergency plans. And lastly, build out that emergency supply kit," said Kia Xiong, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services. "While we don’t expect to see much activity here, we are monitoring this storm."
Xiong added the city of Manteca does have a free sandbag station and the city of Stockton has opened overnight warming centers. She recommends people sign up for the county's emergency alert system.
It’s not just the urban areas officials are monitoring, though. In the weeks since an October partial collapse of the levee protecting Victoria Island in the delta, the state has agreed to step in and take up some of the repair costs and damages.
However, with the powerful storm brewing, those repair plans have yet to be approved.
"We are still monitoring the situation to make sure that the temporary mitigation measures are in place and effective against the incoming storms," said Xiong. "Response and recovery efforts are ongoing, and we continue to closely coordinate efforts with our local and State partners."
Whether on a decades-old levee or in urban neighborhoods, Thursday was a busy one for many in San Joaquin County trying to prevent flooding by Friday.
"Don’t be lazy," said Lomas. "It’s your tree; you pick it up."
Watch more from ABC10: Storm Latest: Sacramento rain totals and snow, flood forecast | Thursday afternoon update
