STOCKTON, Calif. — As an onslaught of rain invaded Stockton's storm drains Thursday, Oscar Martinez with San Joaquin County Public Works was right in the middle of it all.
"Leaves, garbage, and all that gets trapped on top of the drain," said Martinez, with rake in hand as the rain began pouring. "It's useful for us to come out ahead of time and try to prevent all that."
Martinez spent much of his day driving around the city's Country Club neighborhood clearing storm drains to prevent potential flooding.
"Trying to stay ahead of the game," said Martinez. "We keep an eye on all of the main corridors. Where the schools are at, sometimes there's a little more debris or leftover shirts, sweaters that cause drainage issues."
The Dec. 1 storm and accompanying cold temperatures prompted city officials to open a temporary overnight warming zone at Stribley Community Center.
On city streets, wet roads created trouble for some drivers. Selena Carrion's father rear-ended a garbage truck when his pick-up couldn't stop at the stop sign on Plymouth at Telegraph Avenue.
"I would just say we have to be careful out there," said Carrion. "Maybe stop from a little bit of afar just because (my father) stopped a little close and this is what happened."
On I-5 near Lodi, heavy rain made for poor visibility and was challenging for drivers throughout the day.
"It's pretty thick right now, yeah," said truck driver Ed Curry as he stopped for a mid-storm driving break at Lodi's Flag City.
Curry is a long-haul trucker from Mississippi waiting to pick up a load of produce in the Bay Area.
"Reduce your speed and be cautious of other drivers," he said. "Everyone's in a rush when it gets to raining so you have to think for everybody else."
High above it all, the rain didn't stop a dedicated group of tree trimmers from doing their job in the Country Club neighborhood of Stockton.
"This work is not the same as when it's dry, when it's not raining. But, we need to do it to support the house," said Larry's Tree Care worker Miguel Ruiz.
But for others like one-year-old Emily, it was no work and all play - one puddle at a time. Her mom says Thursday was one of her first times out in the rain which meant it was the perfect time for rainy day photos and jumping in puddles.
Watch more Stockton stories from ABC10: 'They got nothing to eat' Hundreds turn out for Stockton's Run & Walk Against Hunger
