ESSENTIAL ITEMS LISTED THERE ON YOUR SCREEN >> YOU KNOW WE ARE FARTHER AWAY BUT THE MIDSOUTH IS BRACING FOR WHAT'S TO COME AS WELL PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY IN BOTH MEMPHIS AND WEST MEMPHIS TONIGHT FROM THE MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MULTIPLE OFFICES ARE GEARING UP HERE'S A PERIGEE SHEA SIMON WITH MORE ON THAT >> HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WRU WEATHER EXPERTS ALERTED THE MIDSOUTH WHAT COULD BE AHEAD TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE THIS IS GOING TO BE WORKING ITS WAY UP AND UW SAYS CREWS ARE PREPARED TO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK IF NEEDED HERE IN MEMPHIS THEY'RE ACTIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DOING ROSE SAYS WEST MEMPHIS IS ALSO GEARING THAT WE COULD SEE 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HERE IN THE MID SOUTH AND THE WEST MEMPHIS REGION >> WE'VE BEEN VERY DRY AND ROSE SAYS LARGE AMOUNTS OF RAIN IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME COULD BE DANGEROUS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FLOODING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ROADWAYS COVERED IN WATER YOU KNOW THOSE ARE THE INCIDENTS WHERE PEOPLE REALLY HAVE HAD THE MOST DIFFICULTY YOU KNOW YOUR DRIVE YOUR CAR THROUGH IT AND YOUR CAR STALLED OUT FOR THOSE FLYING LATER THIS WEEK IN A STATEMENT THE MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ADVISES TO FREQUENTLY CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE TRAVELING TO AN AREA AFFECTED BY FRANCINE AS INCLEMENT WEATHER CAN IMPACT AIRLINE SCHEDULES THEY'RE GIVEN US YOU KNOW 2 OR 3 DAYS NOTICE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEHOW WE ANSWER IS GOING TO BE SOME HEAVY RAINFALL GO AHEAD AND START MAKING THOSE PREPARATIONS NOW FOR YOUR NEWS LEADER CHASE SIMON WR EG NEWS CHANNEL 3 PLAN AHEAD >> AND THE CITY OF MEMPHIS IS DRAINING MAINTENANCE CREW HOPES TO CLEAR AS MANY STORM DRAINS AS POSSIBLE WARNING RESIDENTS TO AVOID DRIVING THROUGH WATER NEAR FALLEN TREES OR UTILITY LINES AND AROUND ROAD BARRICADES FEDEX