With tropical storm and storm surge warnings in effect for Suffolk, Hampton Roads and areas of the Peninsula along the Chesapeake Bay, city emergency officials are urging residents to prepare for Hurricane Dorian and expect high winds, power outages, storm damage and rain of at least four inches.

City Manager Patrick Roberts declared a state of emergency Wednesday evening, which he said would provide the city with “the appropriate level of assistance” and allows it to coordinate its response with the state.

Brian Spicer, deputy chief of technical services for Suffolk Fire and Rescue, briefed City Council during a work session that the storm is expected to turn to the north, and then to the northeast by Thursday morning.

“The wind threat that we should see from Dorian, we should expect damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds (and) unanchored mobile homes,” Spicer said. “The weather service is expecting many large tree limbs to be broken off and a few snapped and possibly uprooted. We do have the benefit of not having a lot of rain over the past days and weeks, so hopefully the roots are still firmly planted and not saturated. We may have a few roads impassable.”

Spicer said high tide for Hurricane Dorian would be at 4 p.m. Friday at 6.2 feet, “which is just under major flooding stage.” A flash flood watch is also in effect through 8 p.m. Friday.

Spicer said that while rainfall amounts are expected to be in the three-to-four inch range, a slight shift in the storm track could mean even more rain.

With heavy rainfall amounts possibly falling in a short period of time, the city is warning of the potential for flash flooding Thursday night through Friday afternoon, with minor to moderate river flooding possible Friday and into the weekend, especially for smaller rivers and creeks.

Spicer said Suffolk Fire and Rescue’s Office of Emergency Management is closely monitoring the storm.

The city said it would keep residents informed about possible openings of emergency shelters.

Residents also began stocking up on water Wednesday ahead of the storm.  At the North Main Street Kroger supermarket Wednesday afternoon, a number of people were purchasing bottled water, as the store was well-stocked with pallets of water bottles located throughout the store, and a number of people were coming out of the store with one or more. A similar scene played out across the road at Walmart.

Suffolk Public Schools is also monitoring the storm and has started to make adjustments to its schedule.

The city’s public schools will be open Thursday and will serve lunch, but will dismiss early. Schools spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw said no decision has yet been made about opening school Friday. She said that decision would come by early afternoon Thursday when it has a better idea of the storm’s impact.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy will also open Thursday, but it is canceling afterschool activities, meetings and games, according to the school spokeswoman Karen Schompert.

At Paul D. Camp Community College, “everything will operate as normal” for now, according to public relations specialist Wendy Harrison.