Annapolis Prepares For Hurricane Isaias

ANNAPOLIS, MD — As Hurricane Isaias nears Maryland, Annapolis is preparing to combat the elements. The storm could bring high tides, strong winds and heavy flooding as early as Monday night. Here is Patch's complete guide to preparing for the storm in Annapolis.

Boaters

The harbormaster encourages all boat owners to take their vessels out of the water if possible. Anchoring in city waters will be prohibited Monday starting at 8 p.m. This includes Spa Creek and Back Creek. The Spa Creek Bridge and the Weems Creek Bridge will not open if wind speeds top 45 mph.

Mariners are currently allowed to dock at the Annapolis City Dock and Ego Alley, but tenants must provide a cell phone number in case the town deems the water unsafe for slip rentals. If docking orders are reversed and captains do not move their boats, the city reserves the right to tow boats at the expense of owners. Pump-out service is currently suspended.

All 76 of Annapolis' moorings will be open on a first-come, first-served basis. Boaters must dedicate lines from the deck cleat for the port and starboard.

All lines must be in excellent to new condition. The city advises using a chaffing gear. Captains should not add extra length to the moorings.

Anybody wishing to use a mooring must call the harbormaster at (410) 263-7973. The harbormaster will also monitor channels 16 and 17 for mooring availability.

"All mariners should begin storm preparations immediately with special considerations for extremely high tides," the harbormaster said in a Monday afternoon press release.

Land Preparation

Residents and businesses can make free sandbags on Monday at Truxton Park. The sandbags, which keep flood water away from doors and windows, will be available from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. or whenever sand runs out, whichever comes first.

Patrons must show their ID and wear a mask the entire time they are at the park. There is a 10 sandbag limit per person.

“We have a lot going on in Annapolis right now, but for our residents, safety is the top priority,” Acting Mayor Rhonda Pindell Charles said in a Monday morning press release. “We encourage those in low-lying areas to come pick up the necessary sandbags to protect their homes and their families. We want people to stay safe in the City of Annapolis.”

The city encourages residents to restock their emergency kits today with enough supplies to last at least 72 hours. Officials recommend keeping these supplies on-hand.

• First Aid Kit and medications.
• Canned food and can opener.
• At least three gallons of water per person.
• Protective clothing, bedding, or sleeping bags.
• Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
• Pet food and supplies.
• Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.
• Written instructions for how to turn off electricity, gas, and water if authorities advise (a professional should turn them back on).

Residents should also check storm drains near their homes. Removing debris from the grates will help water drain faster in case of a flood.

Loose objects outside should be secured. Anything that is not tied down or stowed away could become a projectile in high winds, the city warns.

Officials also remind drivers to avoid standing water, obey road closures and follow police warnings. A few inches of water can cause any car to float, which can be dangerous and life-threatening.

Resources

The city encourages residents to use these resources to stay up-to-date with the latest information:

• The Annapolis Call Center
  • The center is activated 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to answer non-emergency inquiries from the public. The Call Center number is (410) 260-2211. For any questions or concerns after 5 p.m., please call the Office of Emergency Management at (410) 216-9167.
• “Alert Annapolis”
  • This system allows the City of Annapolis to send automated telephone messages, text messages, or emails quickly and efficiently in the event of an emergency. The brief message will provide information on the emergency and any important instructions. To sign up for Alert Annapolis, please go to the following site www.alertannapolis.regroup.com
• “Prepare Me Annapolis Mobile App”
  • This free app from the Office of Emergency Management that provides emergency preparedness information Annapolis residents. The app delivers push notifications that include details and notices about City functions and activities. Prepare Me Annapolis is available, free of charge, on both the Apple Store and on Google Play.

Hurricane Isaias Forecast

The Baltimore-Washington area is under a tropical storm watch as Hurricane Isaias churns up the East Coast. Forecasters say extensive flood damage and limited wind damage are anticipated. Maryland beaches were put under a tropical storm warning Monday morning as the storm nears.

Flash flooding is a major concern, with 3 to 6 inches of rain or more expected to fall between Monday night and Tuesday evening in Maryland. Residents are advised to begin preparing for extensive flood damage and some wind damage now. The threat is high along and east of the Interstate 95 corridor. Significant impacts may also occur along and east of the I-81 corridor too.

Parking lots, streets, ditches, creeks and small streams could turn into dangerous rivers, according to the National Weather Service. Underpasses may be submerged. Roads and bridges may become impassable, weak or washed out.

Baltimore City is preparing for potential flooding near the Inner Harbor and other waterways from Monday into Tuesday and is offering sandbags from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday on Thames Street at Broadway. Residents have to fill their own sandbags and show proof of city residency.

In Howard County, officials say they are inspecting channels in the Ellicott City watershed and removing debris as necessary.

Calvert, Caroline, Dorchester, St. Mary's and Wicomico counties are under a tropical storm warning, which calls for winds of 50 to 60 mph winds late Monday night into Tuesday morning. The warning means tropical storm-force winds are expected within 36 hours.

The storm was 690 miles south-southwest of Baltimore as of 5:35 a.m. Monday and was moving north at 9 mph with 70 mph winds.

“Please don’t let your guard down just because Isaias is no longer a hurricane,” Russ Strickland, executive director for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), said in a statement Sunday night.

"Be prepared for potential power outages, flash floods and tidal flooding," Strickland said. "This is still a dangerous system."

The National Hurricane Center reported it issued a tropical storm watch for the mid-Atlantic coast — including the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and Long Island Sound — due to the potential for tropical storm-force winds Tuesday.

More watches and warnings may follow as Isaias approaches the mid-Atlantic and New England states Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said.

Marylanders should ensure to pack at least two face coverings for each person as well as hand sanitizer and disinfectants in their disaster supply kit, according to MEMA.

According to MEMA, central Maryland will be affected, and the lower Eastern Shore and southern Maryland will be the hardest hit. If the storm makes a slight shift west, it could bring heavy rain to parts of western Maryland, officials say, advising most Marylanders will likely feel some effects from Isaias.

"Evacuations and rescues are likely" in Maryland, according to the tropical storm watch for the Baltimore metro area.

Floodwaters may rush into structures, leaving them uninhabitable or gone altogether, the tropical storm watch states. Flood control systems and barriers could become overwhelmed, officials caution. Runoff in mountainous areas may lead to mudslides.

Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Cecil, Charles, Harford, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties as well as Baltimore City and the District of Columbia are under a tropical storm watch. So are some parts of northern Virginia.

Before the storm arrives, people in these areas should prepare, officials say.

RELATED:

• Parts Of MD Under Tropical Storm Warning Ahead Of Isaias
• How To Prepare For MD Hurricane Season During A Global Pandemic
• Hurricane Isaias: How To Prepare Maryland Homes, Families

Maryland Patch Editor Elizabeth Janney contributed reporting to this article.

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