The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh is warning people about possible flooding and severe weather in the next several days.

A flood watch for the region went into effect Thursday at 7 p.m. and extends until Saturday afternoon, with melting ice and snow and rainfall expected.

The weather service also has issued a winter storm warning from 4 p.m. Friday until 10 a.m. Saturday. The forecast calls for rain Friday afternoon, which is expected to turn to freezing rain and then snow.

Meteorologist Tim Exford said Thursday that rivers and streams in the region weren't unusually high, but could rise quickly and might be susceptible to ice jams.

With the cold weather in recent weeks, nearly every waterway in the area was either frozen or has significant amounts of ice, Exford said.

People who live near waterways or in low-lying areas known for flooding, should keep an eye on the forecast, he said.

“They need to keep their guard up going into the weekend and look for rapidly changing conditions along creeks and streams,” he said.

Homeowners should have an evacuation plan and an emergency preparedness kit for incidents such as flooding, according to an advisory issued by American Red Cross.

Important items to keep handy include a flashlight, first-aid kit, medications and important documents.

People stuck in a flooded home should turn off the power, boil tap water and monitor the news for update information and instructions.

Homeowners can clear their yards and make preparations for flooding, but one thing they should not do is try and clear ice jams in streams.

“There's not really much human interaction can do, we encourage people to stay away and not try to resolve it themselves,” Exford said.

Also Thursday, the state Department of Transportation reminded motorists not to drive through standing water, slow down and use headlights during severe weather, use their vehicle's defroster and windshield wipers and use four-way flashers when traveling slowly.

For updates on the forecast, check the National Weather Service's website, weather.gov. For updates on road conditions, check 511pa.com.