ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Residents in flood-prone areas of Fairfax County are being told to be careful and watch the weather forecast closely during rains that are expected to last through Friday, bringing downed trees and power lines and closing roads. “Drive slowly and cautiously, and please don’t drive through flooded areas,” said county spokesman Brian Worthy. “Our emergency operations [are] activated in a monitoring phase, and we’re keeping a close eye on the roads and the possibility of flooding.” County officials told residents to expect between 2.5 and 3.5 inches, though there was a chance of 6 inches, by the time it’s all over. They added that the Belle View/New Alexandria areas could see some street flooding, particularly near the intersection of Olde Town and Wood Haven roads, as well as the vicinity of 6700 West Wakefield Drive. They don’t expect any structural flooding. People in the Huntington community were told to prepare for more serious conditions. “We sent out a message to those residents specifically warning them to be on the lookout and be prepared to take action if an evacuation was ordered,” Worthy said. Those who live in neighborhoods where flooding has been an issue in the past are urged to move vehicles to higher elevations, try to avoid parking under trees and move important items out of the basement to an upper level. The county government also encourages all residents to sign up for county-issued alerts about severe weather. Meanwhile, in Maryland, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service has released a list of “target hazards” for street flooding:

MoCo Residents & Motorists – Take a look @ Street Flooding ‘target hazards’ https://t.co/PFFuF6FP8c Be Aware, Be Informed, Be Prepared pic.twitter.com/NynzzMz1yA

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 28, 2016