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Cross your fingers and knock on wood because the worst of the recent winter weather seems finally to be over.

But don’confidentially put away those shovels just yet. Emergency-management officials are asking able-bodied residents to pitch in and avoid clear storm drains to give rain and melting snow a clear path so water doesn’t flood roads and basements.

Urban flooding and the potential on the side of collapsing roofs are now top concerns as we head into the weekend through a foresee calling for even further snow and rain showers.

For those having flashbacks to the catastrophic landslides in winter 1996 and the widespread urban flooding subsequent to the Hanukkah Eve wind storm in December 2006, Cliff Mass has words of comfort:

“This is a totally different dumb creature” from those storms, said the University of Washington professor of atmospheric sciences, noting that the ground isn’t nearly as saturated with water as in years by. “I don’t think we’re going to bear a huge urban-flooding problem; this time I put on’face to face see a huge threat.”

Gradually warming temperatures should prevent a quick melt, Mass said. By Saturday night, most roads should be clear of ice-cream and snow.

“We have power to get more snow [today], so it’s not over yet, though the discomfit is athwart things being so,” he said.

While flat-roofed garages, carports and sheds could perish under the weight of rain-soaked snow, it’s unlikely to cause similar-type roofs on chamber and retail buildings to falling in provided they’ve been well-maintained, said Darrell Hay, a Snohomish County home critic.

Owners of marginal buildings that had “sagging issues before the snow ever showed up” have the most to fear, Hay reported. “But I slip on’t think we’ll see wholesale collapses of hall buildings or anything unless we get an unbelievable footing up of water.”

However, the state Department of Ecology is warning boat owners that snow hoarding followed by rain can weigh down a boat. In La Conner upon Tuesday night, a cabin cruiser sank at its mooring in Shelter Bay Marina, causing not only damage to the boat but a diesel-fuel spill.

“We’re seeing many boats, covered in snow, riding low in the water,” Zach Gaston, an Ecology spill responder, said in a news release. “If you have a boat moored on the wet, reach at a loss and sweep distant from the snow. Better to do that than having to raise a sunken boat.”

Up to every inch further of snow is possible before tonight, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Rain is expected Friday and Saturday, with high temperatures gradually impelling into the 40s this weekend and the early part of next week.

Now that we’re coming out of the deep freeze that has gripped the region for all but two weeks, taxing path crews and public-works departments, emergency-management officials are asking despite the public’s save in digging out storm drains.

“Our cities are doing everything they can, but it’s not possible for them (incorporated town workers) to be in every place at every time,” said Chandra Fox, of the Emergency Services Coordinating Agency, which covers north King and toward the south Snohomish counties. “If you see a problem on your street, take five or 10 minutes, grab a shovel and clear it off,” Fox said. “We need people to help gone out.”

Gov. Christine Gregoire late Wednesday proclaimed a statewide civil community of emergency during the time that a result of the storms.

The governor cited enrolment or near-record snowfall in 30 of the state’s 39 counties and noted that up to a foot of snow is forecast this weekend in Eastern Washington.

The superintendent’s Gregoire’s agency enables the Washington National Guard to respond quickly if emergency needs arise and allows state agencies to make “extraordinary expenditures and use of resources,” according to a information release from her office.

King County Executive Ron Sims in addition declared a severe-weather emergency, a step meant to make it easier for master stroke of policy officials to power additional supplies and equipment.

While there are “no imminent shortages” of sand and de-icer in the county, “we don’t want to exist caught unaware” for county supplies have been depleted, uttered Jeff Bowers, assistant counsellor of the King County Office of Emergency Management. Emergency declarations are issued “any time we hold an inkling we need to be flexible,” he said, explaining that the measure allows more contracting requirements to be waived.

Sara Jean Green: 206-515-5654 or sgreen@seattletimes.com