[MDC-EC] Special Storm Statement

[Joe]

BaCo ACS IS ACTIVE AS OF 0800 HOURS, OCT 29 WITH INITIAL COVERAGE AT THE COUNTY EOC. MONITOR TACTICAL CHANNELS BACO 4 AND BACO 7 FOR UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT. 

START SANDY SPECIAL STATEMENT

SANDY TO BRING NEAR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS AND FLOOD-PRODUCING
HEAVY RAINFALL TO MUCH OF THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR THE GREATER BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
METROPOLITAN AREAS, INCLUDING THE MARYLAND PORTION OF THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY, TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER, MARYLAND FROM THE WESTERN
SHORE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TO GARRETT COUNTY, NORTHERN VIRGINIA, AND EXTREME EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA.  

LOCAL STATEMENTS WILL BE RELEASED EVERY 6 HOURS THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING AT THE FOLLOWING RELEASE TIMES: 5 AM, 11 AM, 5 PM AND 11PM. 

AT 5 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE SANDY WAS ABOUT 380 MILES EASTSOUTHEAST OF WASHINGTON DC. SANDY WAS MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH, WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 85 MPH. SANDY IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY COAST TONIGHT. HOWEVER SANDY WILL SEVERELY IMPACT THE REGION WELL BEFORE IT COMES ASHORE. 

HIGH WINDS
----------
WINDS WILL INCREASE STEADILY TODAY, WITH THE MAXIMUM WIND GUSTS OCCURRING LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. GENERALLY, SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA.

NEAR HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS OF 70 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT
A REGION LOCATED BETWEEN BEL AIR MD, POINT LOOKOUT MD, AND
HAGERSTOWN MD. THIS INCLUDES THE GREATER BALTIMORE AND
WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREAS. A FEW HIGHER GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE.

COUPLED WITH HEAVY RAINS FROM SANDY, THE HIGH WINDS WILL RESULT
IN SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE.

RAINFALL AND FLOODING
---------------------
6 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN IN NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL MD INCLUDING
THE BALTIMORE METRO AREA AND ALONG THE WEST SHORE OF THE BAY.

4 TO 8 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE FREDERICK,
WASHINGTON AND FREDERICKSBURG METRO AREAS.

THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN WILL LIKELY RESULT IN EXTENSIVE AND DANGEROUS
FLOODING OF LOCAL STREAMS AND CREEKS STARTING THIS AFTERNOON AND LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY.

COASTAL FLOODING
----------------
WITH THE FULL MOON ON MONDAY, ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ARE ALREADY
HIGHER THAN NORMAL. COUNTER TO THE HIGHER THAN NORMAL
ASTRONOMICAL TIDES, STRONG NORTH AND NORTHWESTERLY WINDS
TODAY WILL CAUSE A BLOW-OUT TIDE ALONG THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE
CHESAPEAKE AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER TODAY. EAST FACING BEACHES
ALONG THE TIDAL POTOMAC WILL EXPERIENCE WIND-DRIVEN WAVES THAT WILL GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF TIDAL FLOODING AND RESULT IN SIMILAR IMPACTS.

AS WINDS BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY TUESDAY, WATER WILL RETURN BACK
INTO THE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC AND BEGIN TO PILE UP IN THE BAY
NORTH OF POOLES ISLAND AND IN THE UPPER REACHES OF THE TIDAL
POTOMAC AND ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES.

THE HIGHEST TIDES FOR MOST WILL BE WITH THE HIGH TIDES TUESDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
----------------------------------

BE PREPARED FOR EXTENDED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.

IF YOU LIVE NEAR LARGE TREES, REMAIN IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF YOUR
HOME OR SEEK SHELTER ELSEWHERE IF POSSIBLE AND RIDE SANDY OUT.

REFRAIN FROM ANY UNNECESSARY TRAVEL.

ENSURE LOOSE ITEMS ON YOUR PROPERTY ARE SECURED.

IF POWER LINES ARE DOWN, STAY AWAY FROM THEM AND REPORT IT TO YOUR
LOCAL ELECTRICAL UTILITY COMPANY.

IF YOU SHOULD HAVE EMERGENCY TRAVEL, IF YOU COME UPON FLOODED
ROADWAYS DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SUBMERGED ROADWAYS. TURN AROUND AND DONT DROWN. 

END STATEMENT

Joseph Krysztoforski
BaCo EC / RO
MDACS Director




=================== E-Mail Disclaimer

This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual(s) named. If you are not the named addressee(s) you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. E-mail transmission cannot be garanteed to be secure or error-free as information could be lost, arrive late,be intercepted, lost, destroyed, incomplete, or contain viruses. Therefore, the sender does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy and reference the date, time and subject of the e-mail.