Residents brace for another storm to hit the Central Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Residents are bracing for another storm and hoping driving conditions don't become hazardous in the Central Valley.

Crews take fallen tree limbs and grind them up after rain and wind knocked them off the tree trunk. Clean up like that is happening all over the Central Valley following the first in a series of storms that are hitting the area. "Fortunately the weather pattern so far has been a pretty steady rain. It's really only when we start to get intense periods of rain over a short amount of time, like we had last May-- that would cause a lot of our streets to flood," said Mark Standriff, City of Fresno.

With more storms expected throughout the week, city and county workers aren't taking any chances. On Friant Road near Friant View Lane, Action News spotted crews using a large machine to suck up all the water, mud and dirt that was clogging storm drains. Keeping those systems clear is crucial to preventing future flooding. "We're certainly aware of our underpasses and places like Wishon, Shaw and Marks and what have you are more susceptible to getting that kind of flooding," explained Standriff.

In Fresno's Tower District some flooding remained on Dennett and Harrison Avenues where residents there said overflowing water is a common problem. "Every year it gets flooded right here and we don't have storm drains, and we just wonder why because we go through it every year," said Susan Marks, Fresno.

Marks said Tuesday's storms drenched her neighborhood, sending water onto the sidewalks and preventing her mom from being able to leave her house. "My mom's in a wheelchair and a lot of people are in wheelchairs around here, and you can't take the wheelchair because it will flood and it will hit the battery and their Jazzies, so you know."

Residents here do hope the city will pay attention to this area Wednesday and Thursday since it is prone to flooding and doesn't have any storm drains.