A tornado watch has been issued for the Baltimore area until 7 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
A watch means that while a tornado has not been sighted here, conditions could lead to one developing in the area. A warning would mean that a tornado has actually been spotted.
“If this escalates to a tornado warning, please seek shelter immediately,” Mayor Brandon Scott said during a news conference Monday morning. “If your phone buzzes, do not take it as a joke, do not take it as a maybe. Treat it as if the tornado is imminently about to impact your life.”
The National Weather Service has also issued a coastal flood advisory for the Baltimore region from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., a wind advisory from 2 p.m. 10 p.m. with gusts up to 25 to 35 miles per hour.
In advance of Monday’s forecasted thunderstorms and potential tornado activity, Baltimore City is taking actions for residents’ safety and is urging them to take their own precautions as well.
Baltimore City Public Schools will close two hours early Monday.
Residents can text BMOREALERT to 888777 to receive emergency updates.
For emergency assistance, residents should call 911 immediately. In non-emergency situations, residents can get help or answers to questions by dialing 311.
In the event of a tornado warning, residents should immediately seek shelter in an interior room, away from windows, and on the lowest floor of where they are located, advised Joey Henderson, director of Baltimore City’s Office of Emergency Management.
Residents should also keep a basic emergency kit with water, flashlight batteries, and medication.
If you encounter a flooded area, do not drive through it; instead, turn around and find an alternate route.
“Just 12 inches of water can sweep through flooded roadways,” said Brandon Buckner, deputy director of Baltimore’s Department of Transportation. “It only takes a small amount of water to create a dangerous situation.”
The city will be shutting down certain roadways in flood-prone areas.
If motorists encounter a traffic signal that has been affected by a power outage, they should treat that intersection as a four-way stop and look out for other vehicles and pedestrian, Buckner said.
They can also report damaged or missing signage, malfunctioning traffic signals, debris in the roadway, or other non-emergency street concerns to 311.
So far, the storms have had no immediate impact on trash and recycling collections for Tuesday through Friday. Residents should place their materials out for collections on their regularly scheduled pickup days unless the city advises otherwise, said Matt Garbark, director of the city’s Department of Public Works.
Garbark said that “out of an abundance of caution and to protect both staff and residents” the city will close the Quarantine Road Landfill, Northwest Transfer Station, and all residential recycling centers at 1 p.m. Monday.
If safe and able, residents are encouraged to clear leaves, trash and other debris from around storm drains to prevent flooding. Residents can also report issues to 311.
Residents who encounter a downed tree should not attempt to cut or remove it themselves. Instead, report these issues to 311. Also, assume any downed electrical wires are live and avoid them, said Reginald Moore, director of Recreation and Parks.
All Rec and Parks facilities will close at 1 p.m. This includes all neighborhood recreation centers, the Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center, Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena, Shake & Bake Family Fun Center, William J Myers Pavilion, Carrie Murray Nature Center, Upton Boxing Center, and any other Rec and Parks facilities.
All Rec and Parks permitted events and schedules will be cancelled after 1 p.m., including after-school programs and afternoon activities.
The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services has declared a Code Purple as of 10 a.m., which will remain in effect through 9 a.m. Wednesday.
“We need your help helping people understand that the city has activated overflow shelters for anyone experiencing homelessness,” said Ernestina Simmons, director of the city’s homeless services office.
Residents can call 311 if they see someone who is experiencing homelessness so the city can dispatch an outreach team to get that individual to a shelter.
“Our hope is that the forecast will change and be wrong, but we will be prepared for every possible scenario, and we want our residents to be prepared as well,” Scott said.
