According to the Baltimore Sun, there was “pockets of flooding” in the city following a “significant thunderstorm” that hit the area late yesterday afternoon. A vacant home caught fire after being struck by lightning, according to the local newspaper.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issues a hazard forecast yesterday but said that no hazards were expected. This afternoon, it is forecast that scattered showers and thunderstorms will hit parts of Maryland and adjacent state counties, with a few producing isolated damaging wind gusts. The areas that could be affected include Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Potomac River, and northern Virginia as well as the District of Columbia, according to NWS.
However, yesterday evening the NWS issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Baltimore City and Baltimore County shortly after 6:00 p.m. local time. According to the Baltimore Sun, by 6:30 p.m. flooding had taken hold in Little Italy, Harbor East and Fells Point. The bolt of lightning which caused a fire in a vacant building was near the Greenmount Cemetery.
According to the NWS Baltimore and Washington D.C. twitter account, flood warnings remain in effect for portions of the Baltimore and Washington D.C. metropolitan areas. They have also advised that while the heavy rain has ended, run-off will continue and flooded roads remain, reminding drivers to “turn around, don’t drown.”
It has also forecast “strong to severe thunderstorms” for this afternoon into the evening, affecting the east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Damaging wind gusts are the main threat, but there is also a likelihood of lightning.
Residents shared photos on social media of the flooding. Twitter user @SarahBalt42, posted: “We got a little rain.” Her picture shows water levels rising, covering cars and completely covering roads and sidewalks.
Another Twitter account, @DH_Racing, tweeted images of Harbor East flooding: “Harbor East, Baltimore flooding tonight.”
Another video shared by @NEWeatherWx showed gusts of wind slamming into people on the sidewalk and trees, with cars driving through the flooded streets.
Other users reported hailstones coming down on them, with public transport halted leaving residents in the severe weather for two hours. User @burosarkar1 tweeted: “Terrifying evening at Baltimore city. Stuck outside for two hours at the bus stop. Scared of driving and drowning.”
Margarita Cambest, who works in the communication department at Live Baltimore, wrote: “We got some water in the basement but thankfully the only thing that’s ruined is my flowers… I did have to wade through two to three feet of water to pry my door open.”
