(WENY) -- Preparations are underway across the Northeast as Tropical Depression Debby continues to creep up the East Coast -- local and state officials say they are ready for whatever comes our way.

North and South Carolina have been dealing with unrelenting rainfall and severe weather over the past few days thanks to Debby, but soon it's expected to take a turn northward and bring heavy rain to the Twin Tiers.

Debby's first impacts were felt in Florida, then Georgia before it slowed dramatically near the city of Charleston, South Carolina, and as the Northeast prepares for Debby, the rest of the nation watches on as over a foot of rain has fallen on parts of the South.

"So to prepare, we need to protect New Yorkers. I've activated 100 National Guard to be ready to be deployed where necessary. Once again, we have to open our emergency operations center. Utility operators – this is what happens with the heavy winds, the rainfall, many times limbs snap the power lines, resulting in power outages. We have over 5,500 utility personnel, ready to be deployed again," said New York Governor Kathy Hochul in a press conference earlier today.

Debby will move much quicker once it turns north but there will still be a 24 hour period where flooding could occur in low-lying areas throughout the Twin Tiers. In light of the oncoming deluge, emergency management is on the clock to prepare for the worst and be ready to respond.

"Primarily right now we're just working with our local partners, local fire departments, school districts, public works departments, folks like that, trying to get information out to them," remarked Steuben County Director of Public Safety Tim Marshall, "We've been, pushing information out to our highway departments and trying to make sure that they have cones and barrels and things like that for flooded roadways, so that we can make sure that we can block those areas off and keep people from going through flooded roadways."

Current estimates and computer modeling have projected anywhere from two to three inches of rain for our area with localized amounts of more the three inches possible. Debby remains the product of what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is calling an extremely active hurricane season.

Local officials are recommending to clear storm drains and gutters of debris before the heavy rain begins and to have a plan if flooding does occur in your immediate area. Earlier this afternoon, PennDOT released a statement advising Pennsylvanians to be aware and exercise caution as Debby impacts the Keystone State.