Tropical Storm Kay brought showers and wind to the Desert Southwest
Yuma locals prepared for severe weather conditions - 13 On Your Side's Vanessa Gongora reports
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Residents in Yuma were preparing at the last minute getting ready for the storm.
Many continued filling sand bags at the Civic Center to prepare for the floods though the rain was only scattered throughout the day.
In the heart of downtown Yuma, one resident Daniel Martinez who is employed at Cafecito said he rides his bike to work and made sure to bring a jacket today, though he doesn't mind the rain and has a message for the community.
"Make sure you got an umbrella, maybe some extra pots and pans in case you got a leaky roof but other than that I would say if you got a back porch or front patio go out and enjoy it a little bit," says Martinez. "It doesn't happen too often."
Friday morning was off to a slow start with light rain and continues on and off throughout the day, though heavy winds were up to 40 miles per hour.
As locals were filling up their sand bags at the Civic Center, rainfall started to come down hard.
One resident Fausto Cuevas said they were filling bags to cover the bottom of his doors to protect his home.
"We're just getting some sand bags. We have a couple of doors that whenever it rains the water level kind of goes up a little bit, so being that they said it was going to be a bad one, kind of figured might as well get them just in case," explains Cuevas.
The Yuma County Emergency Management Director Tony Badilla says during the rain storm, they encourage people to stay home.
"If they don't have to go out there and drive don't do that. If they're having travel arrangements, if they can please push them off until the storm goes away," says Badilla. "If they're out in the roads, please don't drive through flooded roadways."
Badilla says pull aside, stay alive and turn around, don't drown if you see the roads are flooded.
A flood watch is still in place until 12 a.m. Sunday, so please be aware and stay safe.
Though if you are home, now is the time to bring out your umbrellas and raincoats to enjoy the showers.
