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WASHINGTON – Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency Monday afternoon in anticipation of the potential effects of Hurricane Florence on Maryland.
"We are preparing for the potential for historic, catastrophic and potentially life-threatening floods in Maryland," Hogan said at a press conference.
Hogan said the lowlands and coastal areas, many of which are already soggy with a very wet summer, are of particular concern. Shelters are ready to receive displaced residents and utilities are ready to face serious breakdowns.
"Things are changing fast and changing constantly," Hogan said.
In Virginia, which is already in a state of emergency, Governor Ralph Northam has ordered a mandatory evacuation for evacuation zone A – which includes the areas of the East Coast and Hampton Road – from 8 am Tuesday. More than 245,000 people live in this area. (See an updated map of Virginia's evacuation zones here.)
Always over the Atlantic, Florence is about to hit the east coast on Thursday night. Strong winds, storm surges and life-threatening floods are on hold early next week.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the external banks. Mandatory evacuation began at noon for the Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands in North Carolina. Outer Banks is ordered to evacuate from 7:00 am Tuesday.
Monday afternoon, the governor of South Carolina ordered the evacuation of the entire coast from Tuesday noon.
Here's the latest news about Florence, what the region can expect and how the people react to the storm.
Latest news about Florence
For the latest official information on Florence, consult the National Meteorological Service, the National Hurricane Center and your local authorities.
At 5 pm, Category 4 hurricane Florence blew 140 miles to the hour on the open Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm was gaining momentum and strength, and that hurricane and storm surge watches could be issued on Tuesday.
"The bottom line is that there is great confidence that Florence will be an important hurricane and extremely dangerous, regardless of its exact intensity," the center said Monday afternoon.
The expected trajectory comes to a Carolinas heading towards Thursday night – although forecasters have warned that it is still too far to know for sure where Florence could land. Prospects demand that Florence be an extremely powerful and upscale Category 4 storm, with winds reaching 150 miles per hour near the coast.
NHC has stated that destructive winds of hurricane force are likely along some parts of the Carolina coastline. He also warned of destructive winds spreading inland from the Carolinas to Virginia.
What is in reserve for the DC zone
The DC zone could see at least tropical storm winds of about 40 mph from Florence. If this happens, these winds would probably arrive late Thursday night.
It is unlikely that D.C. will experience hurricane force winds, as the storm will lose strength after touching hundreds of kilometers to the south. For Virginia, Maryland and Latin America, widespread flooding is quickly becoming a concern.
Although it is still too far to know for sure what the impacts will be on the region, computer models flirt with the idea that Florence could drastically slow down the land.
This has the potential to bring persistent tropical rains into much of Virginia until they reach the beginning of next week. The soil is already saturated with rainy days by a separate weather system.
NOAA's Monday GFS model highlighted the potential for one-foot rainfall in southeast Virginia and southern Maryland.
That said, the latest version of the European model takes Florence farther south and moves it further inland – a path that would bring less rain to D.C.
A European-style layout, however, would have a major impact on the Shenandoah Valley and, ultimately, would impact the DC area, a swollen Shenandoah River pouring into the Potomac.
On a Monday afternoon on Facebook Live, Doug Kammerer, Storm Team4 meteorologist, explained that such a volume of water – combined with the winds of the east is impeding their flow into Chesapeake, could cause "major problems".
"It's about as bad as a storm we get," Kammerer said.
How DC, Maryland and Virginia get ready
Florence could bring tons of rain to an area already steeped in bad weather. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam joined North Carolina and South Carolina in declaring a state of emergency on Saturday, allowing officials to begin mobilizing a response to the storm.
The biggest threats to the region are coastal and inland floods. Areas near the Monocacy, Potomac and Susquehanna rivers in Maryland are vulnerable to flooding, and downtown Annapolis and Fells Point in Baltimore are prone to coastal flooding. All these areas, insisted those responsible, should keep an eye on forecasts.
The impacts of a hurricane can be far-reaching no matter where the storm actually hits. Jeff Caldwell, a spokesman for the Virginia Emergency Management Office, warned of the potential for massive floods across the state.
He added that the most deadly tropical cyclone in Virginia, known as Camille in 1969, killed 150 people by floods alone – although the storm hit the Mississippi.
In Maryland, the authorities were particularly concerned about river overflows, in addition to flooding in low-lying urban areas along Chesapeake Bay.
"Our land is already saturated," said Edward McDonough, spokesperson for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. "This could create heavy amounts of rain anywhere from western Maryland to the east coast, the worst areas will depend on the final trajectory of the storm."
In a tweet, SD officials asked residents to be "proactive" in supplying supplies and reviewing contingency plans:
We are watching Florence and ask two people:
-Encourage family / friends on the way to listen to officials and establish a communication plan with you once the storm is over.
-Be proactive. Now it's time to replenish your supplies, sign up for alerts, and review your emergency plan. https://t.co/wliyCyCgG7– DC Homeland Security (@DC_HSEMA) September 10, 2018
What can you do to prepare yourself?
Although the impact of Florence on the development zone is still uncertain, it is better to prepare for the worst. Ready.gov has a comprehensive list of resources to help you prepare.
Before rushing to the stores, replenish your emergency preparedness kit. Ideally, this includes …
- Water and non-perishable food for at least three days
- pharmaceuticals
- Flash light
- batteries
- Cash
- First aid supplies
And do not forget to make sure your four-legged family members are ready.
The threat of flood, of course, means that evacuations will be likely. Residents of the area can view up-to-date information on Maryland and Virginia evacuation zones online.
"Start now to prepare your families and homes for heavy rain, wind and possible flooding," Hogan said Monday afternoon.
Howard County, Maryland's director of emergency management for flood victims, Ryan Miller, said planning ahead can make all the difference as conditions deteriorate.
"He could make plans to stay with someone else, he might be removing valuables from the basement," Miller said. "Maybe testing the sump pump would be a good idea."
Provide:
Monday: Cloudy, light wind, 70 percent chance of scattered showers, about 80.
Tuesday: Cloudy, high of 83, showers of 40 percent.
Wednesday: High 85, 40 percent chance of rain, mostly cloudy.
Thursday: Becoming cloudy, high 84, showers 30 percent.
Friday: Chance of rain and wind, FLORENCE OF FOLLOWING, weak 80s.
Saturday: Chance of rain and wind, FLORENCE OF FOLLOWING, weak 80s.
Sunday: Chance rain and wind, followed by Florence, 80s
Current conditions:
Kate Ryan of WTOP contributed to this report.
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