Rain, heavy at times, fell Wednesday, backing up at storm-sewer grates blocked by plowed snow and ice, which could cause localized flooding. The rain and melting snow also could make creeks and streams overflow their banks, causing problems for residents in low-lying areas.

"Our crews were out today removing snow from around storm water openings, especially in low-lying areas," Charlotte Katzenmoyer, Lancaster's director of public works, said Wednesday. "They'll be out again (Thursday) in anticipation of heavy rains."

Joe Villani, a forecaster with the National Weather Service at State College said he does not foresee any "widespread flooding or river flooding." A flood watch, however, has been issued for Lancaster and several other Pennsylvania counties.

"It will mainly be just nuisance flooding from runoff water combined with snow melt," he said.

Villani said the county can expect a combined 1 to 1 inches of rain from Wednesday's and today's storms.

"Luckily, it's a quick moving system so it should be out of here by late this morning," Villani said.

In Lancaster County, public works crews have actively been trying to head off potential problems caused by snow and rain.

Manheim Township had "several crews" out clearing drains and storm sewers, James M. Martin, township manager, said.

"We watch the weather several days in advance, so we've been out cleaning away not just snow but old leaves as well," Martin said.

Ephrata Borough also monitors the weather.

"We subscribe to a service something like AccuWeather, and we are constantly monitoring the weather," borough engineer Robert Thompson said.

Cleaning the borough's gutters and drainage systems is a "regular event," Thompson said, and crews have been out frequently over the past few days removing snow from drains and flood areas.

The threat of rain was a factor in Lancaster city's snow removal gaffe Tuesday when a fire truck hosed the snow off the sloping roof of the Southern Market Center as a safety measure for pedestrians, only to have water back up from snow-clogged sidewalks into the building itself. In addition, the chore, which officials thought would take 30 minutes, took more than three hours and tied up traffic for five blocks.

After the rain ends today, skies will turn mostly cloudy and windy. The high temperature today will be about 46 degrees, with overnight lows hitting 28 degrees.

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