The National Weather Service has said Friday's storm has "the potential for 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain in coastal areas -- may arrive at the same time as a higher than usual high tide, creating a scenario that locals have experienced before and City crews are preparing to deal with that may -- depending on Mother Nature's rainfall intensity and timing -- produce some areas of street flooding on parts of Naples Island.

It's not quite a "perfect storm"; the high tide won't reach "King Tide" level (above 6.8 feet), but the City expects a high tide of 6.3 feet at 8:07 a.m. on Friday Feb. 28.

That's high enough for the City to activate its storm drain plug system, used at 26 storm drain locations on Naples Island, where mechanical or inflatable plugs are installed in storm drains. The plugs prevent seawater from flowing backwards up storm drains and onto Naples streets during higher than usual high tides. But the technique has an unavoidable downside: during the time window when the storm drain plugs are inserted, water can't drain off Naples streets...meaning that if a heavy downpour occurs while the drain plugs are in place, rainwater will accumulate and create some street flooding.

Once the high tide begins to recede, city crews remove the drain plugs and the accumulated rainwater will drain out and things return to normal.

Art Cox, the City's Superintendent of Street Maintenance, says he and his crews are prepared; they've dealt with this scenario before and will be at the scene and closely watching events as they take place.

What's unknown and unknowable for now is whether Mother Nature will send a strong storm cell onshore while the drain plugs are in place.

LBREPORT.com will have a link to in-motion National Weather Service Doppler Radar on our front page -- www.LBREPORT.com -- to show what's coming.

What should Naples Island residents do now? Mr. Cox says be aware and prepared. Don't park over a catch basin (some are in alleys)...and shut off any automatic irrigation so no additional water accumulates.

The City always welcomes extra pairs of eyes, so if you see something unusual developing, call the Long Beach Public Service Bureau's main number (562) 570-2700 (reaches a live person from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; after hours voice mail will direct you to LBPD's non-emergency line at (562) 435-6711). If there's a real emergency, call 9-1-1.

After you talk to city authorities, show us or tell us what's happening, so we can show and tell everyone. If you can safely snap photos, email them to us at mail@LBReport.com or message us via our Facebook at www.facebook.com/LBReport.

And LBREPORT.com will have near-real-time NWS Doppler Radar and additional coverage as newsworthy on LBREPORT.com's front page: www.LBREPORT.com.

City Hall also offers the following rain-related generic recommendations applicable citywide (from a City Hall release):

• Know this - Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling. A foot of water will float many vehicles. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUV's) and pick-up trucks.

• Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. The depth of water is not always obvious. The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped.

• Do not drive around a barricade. Barricades are there for your protection. Turn around and go the other way.

• Slow down for traffic officers at intersections with non-working signal lights. Treat all non-working traffic signal lights at intersections as stop signs. Be aware of utility workers working in or near the road.

• Do not sightsee in flooded areas. Do not try to enter areas blocked off by local authorities.

• If advised by local authorities to leave your home, do not delay leaving. Move to a safe area before access is cut off by floodwater. Before leaving, disconnect all electrical appliances.