There will be stormy weather the next few days in Salem, including high winds and a potential for floods according to forecasts by the National Weather Service. The service predicts between 1 and 2 inches of rain in Salem between Tuesday and Thursday. Creek and river levels were starting to rise Monday, the city said in a Facebook post. They will have more water added in the coming days with rain and snow expected in the Willamette Valley. “The National Weather Service is predicting 1.5 to 3 inches of rain for the Willamette Valley and significant snow in elevations above 2000 feet. Rivers will begin to rise on Wednesday with the potential for flooding by the weekend in low-lying areas,” the city post said.The city measures water levels and posts updates on an interactive map, and a table with flood levels.As of Tuesday morning, most Salem stream sites remained a few inches below flood level. Some sites were about an inch below high water level, including the western end of Glen Creek in West Salem.At the high water level, the weather service recommends taking steps to mitigate flooding. The city recommends clearing the tops of storm drains to help prevent flooding. Sandbags are available to pick up by the Public Works Operations Building, 1457 23rd St. S.E. Other sandbag sites have not opened as of Tuesday, according to a city map. There will also be a wind advisory in effect in the area between 1 p.m. Tuesday and 4 a.m. Wednesday. Winds are expected to blow between 20 and 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 45 miles per hour. The weather service recommends securing outdoor objects like garbage cans, and taking extra care while driving. If tree limbs are blown down, it could result in power outages. Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Heavy rains, winds predicted in Salem through Thursday appeared first on Salem Reporter.