The storm laid waste to parts of Florida, though it has weakened as it makes its way north, but is still packing a punch as remnants of the near-Category 5 hurricane turned tropical storm impacts Maryland and neighboring states.
On Friday, Sept. 30, light rain spread from south to north late in the evening, according to the National Weather Service, which is predicting steady wind throughout the weekend.
Steady rain is possible late Friday through Monday, accompanied by strong wind gusts. Beginning Monday afternoon, a coastal flood watch is in effect for St. Mary’s County, and a gale watch is in effect for lower portions of the tidal Potomac and Chesapeake Bay.
Officials cautioned that as the storm moves up the mid-Atlantic, it could lead to coastal flooding, and gale force wind warnings have been announced.
Temperatures are also dropping across the region as the storm approaches.
The storm hits Maryland after Gov. Larry Hogan deployed an Incident Management Team to Florida to assist with the state hit hardest by the hurricane.
“In addition to sending personnel to Florida to help with the response to Hurricane Ian, we have been preparing on all fronts to deal with the remnants of the storm,” Hogan said.
“As we always emphasize with potential flooding events, it is critical for drivers to avoid rising waters—‘turn around, don’t drown,’” he continued. “We advise Marylanders to watch the forecast closely throughout the weekend and heed local warnings.”
Advice for weathering the storm from state officials can be found here.
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