Hampton Roads and much of the East Coast face serious threats from Hurricane Florence’s impending arrival. These threats are further multiplied because the land in these areas has already experienced rain from the past few weeks.

The forecast indicates the potential for 15 to 20 inches of rain from the storm.

The National Weather Service Wakefield office confirmed that Hampton Roads faces added risk of flooding due to the rainfall that’s preceded Hurricane Florence, which also compounds the risk of falling trees.

Florence’s high winds can topple trees that have root systems that are weaker in saturated ground. These falling trees threaten lives and can also damage to power lines, homes and vehicles.

The city of Suffolk will be deploying Strike Task Force Teams equipped with chainsaws as necessary to deal with such issues as trees across roadways, according to an email from Suffolk spokeswoman Diana Klink.

People with non-emergency issues related to roadways can call 514-7600.  The Emergency Operations Call Center can be reached at 514-4570 and is currently staffed for citizens seeking 24/7 storm-related information.