As stormy weather drenches Baltimore City, the region could be inundated with some of the worst tidal flooding since Hurricane Isabel in 2003, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service Baltimore-Washington.
One of the biggest tidal flood events of the past 10-20 years (possibly since Hurricane Isabel at some locales), is expected Friday & Saturday. Those along tidal shores should get ready for exceptional tidal inundation! Tidal forecasts here: https://t.co/Q2WdpDGgIJ pic.twitter.com/LQkL80pzQs
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) October 28, 2021
Baltimore and the surrounding areas are currently under a coastal flood warning through 8 a.m. Saturday.
Communities in Cherry Hill, Downtown Baltimore, Harbor East, Fells Point and Canton are likely to experience significant flooding, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.
Scott advised residents to move their vehicles from low-lying zones to higher ground, and not to drive through flooded areas.
Follow @BaltimoreOEM, @BmoreCityDOT, and @BaltimoreDPW for up-to-date information. We have sandbags and garage parking available for residents.
— Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) October 29, 2021
Baltimore City has opened garages from 6 p.m. Thursday through 9 a.m. Sunday for residents to park their cars at no charge while space lasts. Residents must move their vehicles out of the garage by 9 a.m. Sunday to avoid incurring fees. The garages include:
Fleet and Eden Garage (501 S. Eden St.)
Caroline Street Garage (805 S. Caroline St.)
Little Italy Garage (400 S. Central Ave.)
The city also gave out sandbags earlier in the day on Friday on a first come, first served basis.
DOT workers help residents fill sandbags in preparation for potential flooding today in low-lying areas. City residents can obtain sandbags today from 9-3 in Fell’s Point (Thames & Caroline Sts), 5110 Frederick Rd, and Cherry Hill (2601 Spellman Rd) while supplies last. pic.twitter.com/oykHStgYNh
— Baltimore City DOT (@BmoreCityDOT) October 29, 2021
Before a flood, the National Weather Service advises that people create a communications plan; assemble an emergency kit; sign up for notifications; prepare their home to prevent flood waters from entering; pack essentials for yourself, family members and pets in case you need to evacuate; and charge your essential electronics.
If the home is likely to flood, the National Weather Service urges individuals to make arrangements for where they will stay and evacuate before flooding occurs.
Las inundaciones costeras son inundaciones a lo largo de la costa, y pueden ser causadas por marejadas ciclónicas, vientos hacia la costa, oleaje fuerte o mareas astronómicas altas. Si se esperan inundaciones costeras en su área, tome acción. https://t.co/q4K3W9JFkJ #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/qwqKMK4ZZg
— Baltimore City OEM (@BaltimoreOEM) October 29, 2021
As the storm moved in, Baltimore residents shared videos and descriptions of their experiences.
Downtown Baltimore tweeted a video of water flooding the Inner Harbor promenade around 11 a.m. Friday.
Current scene at the Inner Harbor with wind and the tide pushing water inland. pic.twitter.com/dS8YmSbsCR
— Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (@DowntownBalt) October 29, 2021
A video shows about a foot of water at Washington and Aliceanna streets in Fells Point.
Almost high tide! #fellspointflooding2021 pic.twitter.com/H9aWJHVhDR
— Van Smith (@vansmithwicks) October 29, 2021
Some residents reworked their Friday plans to avoid the brunt of the storm.
Wind is already kicking up hard here in Baltimore. I got out & am ready to go into a medical appointment. I canceled my 2 PM appt out of the house. I drive a Prius. Driving in the strongest part of a storm already flooding out areas w/winds expected 50-60 mph? Yeah no…
— Aileen Geraghty Creative (@AileenSabira) October 29, 2021
Another Twitter user had the bad luck of planning a vacation to Baltimore this weekend.
The Baltimore City Public Schools canceled athletics and after-school activities for Friday, but some parents said cancellations and closures should have come sooner.
Baltimore City’s flooding is always horrible idk why after all these years they aren’t proactive with closures…especially since more city kids use public transportation….I’d be keeping my kid home for sure
— Ⓜikey (@missmikeyb) October 29, 2021
Due to the inclement weather, we may experience delays in transportation services. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working through any challenges.
— Baltimore City Public Schools (@BaltCitySchools) October 29, 2021
Although the Lower Falls Trail at Cunningham Falls State Park in northern Frederick County has been closed until further notice due to storm damage, Maryland State Parks tweeted.
The Lower Falls Trail at Cunningham Falls SP is closed until further notice due to storm damage. The Cliff Trail (1 mile one way) is open at this time.
— Maryland State Parks (@MDStateParks) October 29, 2021
But if you’re still looking for somewhere to hike through the storm, the Cliff Trail remains open — just stay safe and as dry as possible.
