The city of Mount Vernon is bracing for potential flooding as warm temperatures and rainfall are expected to combine to melt the remnants of last week's snowstorm.

As News 12 has reported, the National Weather Service issued flood watches for Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties until Saturday morning.

"This could be as bad as a snow event is some areas," says Joseph Nigro, the city's commissioner of public works. "You go down the street, and it's dark, and...it's a flood zone. We don't want you to drive into it."

So Mount Vernon road crews are pumping out sewer systems, clearing the way for runoff to drain properly.

Mayor Richard Thomas also says the city is identifying flood-prone areas like Summit Avenue and advising residents to have floor pumps readily available if they live in at-risk areas.

Residents who get stuck in an emergency can call 911 as well as their DPW officials.