Westport residents were taking precautions ahead of Friday's nor'easter.

Residents said they made sure to enjoy the warm weather Thursday. The beach was filled with people walking their dogs and bringing their kids out to play before the storm.

Flood watches were in effect for northern Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties, and coastal flood advisories were issued for southern Fairfield and New Haven counties.

MORE: News 12 Connecticut Weather Center

Officials said residents living near water should take steps to protect their homes.

"We prepare with sandbags that might go in front of garages, we prepare with barricades that go up in the stairwells and different places," said Jamie Klein, of Westport. "Depending on where you're living, a lot of people have pumps that they're ready to start to activate."

Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Cohen encourages all residents to stay off the roads if possible and to report any problem areas. Eversource Energy officials say they will have hundreds of employees positioned around the state who will be ready to respond to any energy-related problems.

Friday's nor'easter is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and possible flooding.