Officials urge residents to stay alert as more heavy rains hit Central California

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Officials are urging residents not to let their guard down as more heavy rain and wind are expected to hit the Central Valley late Thursday into Friday.

"Roads are still going to be slippery. There are a lot of puddles Just take your time, slow down. I definitely had to do that on my commute today," said National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Ochs.

As residents brace for another storm, AAA is expecting Friday to be one of the busiest days on the roads this year.

"If you can get out the door before 10 a.m. on Friday, there won't be as much traffic. Honestly, that's kind of the golden rule for any day you're traveling. If you're worried about traffic, get out the door early and you can avoid it," said Doug Johnson, a spokesperson for AAA.

It's not just travelers that have to worry about the storm's impacts.

PG&E said 8,000 customers lost power after Wednesday's storm, which downed trees and power lines.

The company is now asking residents to keep their distance when crews are working in their neighborhoods, to keep everyone safe.

"If you see a downed power line, stay away from it. Because they, in all likelihood, could still have current running through them," said PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith. "You can prepare by making sure that you have battery-operated radios on hand, that you've got batteries for those. Make sure your cell phones are charged. Have backup batteries for your cell phones."

Officials also urged residents to freeze water bottles to help keep refrigerators cool during potential outages and to pick up sandbags in advance for any flooding concerns.