CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Heavy rain will hit the Central Valley this week, and will give drivers one more thing to look out for. Local law enforcement wants to remind people of how dangerous wet driving conditions can be.

While roads Monday were relatively dry, they will soon provide those dangerous conditions with rain on the way. Clovis Police ask drivers to stay alert and to use their best judgment when they head down that busy street.

“Slow down, give yourself plenty of time to stop. Give yourself plenty of time to get wherever it is you’re going so that you’re not in a hurry. And obviously, you want to pay attention to the roadways a little more when it’s raining,” said Lt. Jim Koch of the Clovis Police Department.

City crews are hard at work to make sure drains are clear for the rain, but isolated floods are still possible.

“If you see a roadway and it appears flooded, stay away from it. Do not try to pass through it. We suggest that you either find a different route to take or if the weather is really getting bad like they say that it may, maybe it’s a good idea not to go anywhere at all,” said Lt. Koch.

Lt. Koch said if you do try to drive your car through flood waters, a lot can go wrong.

“You have a lot of different things that can happen. Obviously, you’re gonna lose control of your vehicle almost immediately. And you have the ability of getting your vehicle stuck in that water, which makes you stuck in that water, which makes it an emergency for us to try to go rescue you and get you out of there,” he said.

For additional recommendations, the California Highway Patrol told us you should always make sure your vehicle is in good condition before you hit the road in a storm. That means your tires have tread, that your car is mechanically sound, and that your headlights and wipers work. They say to try and turn those on when you drive through bad weather.

If you head up to the mountains this week, you’ll have to face a different kind of obstacle: snow. That means you’ll want to pack chains and an emergency kit just in case.