MARYLAND — Tropical storm Ophelia has formed and will have big impacts in Maryland.
The storm's potential effects will be heavy rain that can lead to flash flooding, strong winds, and even the potential for low end storm surge.
The rain that is expected to fall over our area is going to range between two to three inches over the course of the weekend. While we need the rain, this amount in such a short time will lead to over saturation of our soils and runoff into many low lying areas. The greatest threat for the flash flood potential over central Maryland will be on Sunday.
Strong winds will be the next issue we focus on, as winds are expected to reach up to 35 mph for sustained speeds. This will cause issues for light objects to get blown away and even for weaker trees to fall under loose and soggy soils. Winds could also cause issues with overhead power lines, cutting electricity for those areas.
Storm surge will be on the lower end of severity, so while it is not as big of a risk for most of us in the upper Chesapeake Bay, we still need to keep an eye on it. Areas near the coast could see tides increase as storm surge reaches up to 3 feet for all coastlines in our viewing area.
While this system will not reach hurricane status, it is not something to take lightly. We have seen what torrential rains can do to our low lying communities as well as how higher tides can cause massive issues for Annapolis.
Make sure to keep updated with us and to best stay safe and prepared!
