29K Residents Without Power, 1 Death After Isaias Swipes MD

MARYLAND — Tropical Storm Isaias lashed Maryland with 70 mph winds and up to 7 inches of rain Tuesday before it moved up the East Coast. In its wake the fast-moving storm left tens of thousands of Marylanders without power, killed one driver, and temporarily closed the busy port of Baltimore.

As it churned by Maryland, officials said the storm produced tornadoes and flash flooding. By late afternoon, all watches and warnings tied to the storm were canceled.

When Tropical Storm Isaias passed by Cecil County late in the morning the National Hurricane Center said it had sustained winds of 70 mph.

The storm dumped 7.05 inches of rain and resulted in a waterspout in southern Maryland, according to Gov. Larry Hogan, who said a tornado also touched down on the Eastern Shore.

St. Mary's County Sheriff's officials say a driver was killed in Mechanicsville after a large tree fell on the vehicle. The Baltimore Sun reported the accident happened around 9:30 a.m.

BGE crews, with help from other utilities, have been restoring electric service to customers in central Maryland since early Tuesday morning. Some crews are working on the system, while others should arrive Tuesday evening to begin work on Wednesday morning. In all, about 2,000 workers in the field and in offices are working to restore service.

Priority services for power restoration are public safety equipment and facilities such as 911 centers, hospitals and pumping stations. Then crews focus on getting the most customers back online as quickly as possible.

Statewide, there were 29,518 Maryland customers without power as of 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.US.

Of that total, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company had 10,275 reported outages; Choptank Electric Cooperative had 1,983 outages; Delmarva Power had 12,658 customers offline; Pepco had 414 offline; and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative reported 4,132 customers without power.

Power outages soared after the storm pummeled New Jersey, with a total of 1.3 million outages in that state alone as of 4:15 p.m. Tuesday. Pennsylvania has 379,657 customers offline; Virginia has 218,376 outages; New York has 512,531 without electricity; and North Carolina has 171,725 offline, according to PowerOutage.US.

Related: Isaias Floodwaters Prompt Rescue In Maryland's Charles County

The Port of Baltimore returned to the seasonal alert port condition and reopened to all vessel traffic by Tuesday evening. All maritime users should monitor the progress of the storm and heed all warnings. Mariners are urged to exercise caution when transiting restricted waters due to possible shoaling and aids-to-navigation possibly being off station or unreliable, a news release said.

Multiple areas in southern and eastern Maryland reported tornadic activity, the governor said.

Two tornadoes touched down in the Lower Eastern Shore as Isaias made its way to Maryland earlier Tuesday morning. The first touched down in Wicomico County just after 6 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. The tornado left debris along Mardela's Main Street.

A second tornado touched down just north of Girdletree in Worcester County at 7:20 a.m., which moved north toward Snow Hill.

A tornado was confirmed in Queen Anne's County on Maryland's Eastern Shore at 8:40 a.m. Tornadoes were also reported in Dorchester County and Salisbury as well as Snow Hill.

Related: Isaias Kills One, Spawns Tornadoes Along Maryland's Eastern Shore

In Baltimore and Annapolis, flooding prompted street closures.

"The state has activated all available resources to respond," Hogan said. "We urge Marylanders to heed all warnings, avoid travel if possible, and use common sense."

The storm is expected to accelerate as it moves up the mid-Atlantic coast before weakening as it heads toward Canada, becoming post-tropical by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Isaias made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, at 11:10 p.m. Monday. More than 314,000 North Carolina residents were without power Tuesday morning, and more than 330,000 Virginians were also experiencing outages as Tropical Storm Isaias moved out of northeastern North Carolina and across Virginia.

Maryland State Police troopers from the LaPlata Barrack helped with a water rescue Tuesday morning after two vehicles were swept off the road by flash flooding near the Charles County-Prince George’s County line. Just before 9 a.m. the drivers tried to cross Brandywine Road (MD 381) and rising floodwaters from Swanson Creek swept both vehicles off the road. Crews rescued both drivers; one was taken by ambulance to University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center for treatment.

The storm is expected to reach the New York City area, which is under a tropical storm warning calling for up to 5 inches of rain, Tuesday afternoon and evening. A tornado watch has been issued for New York City as Tropical Storm Isaias approaches with wind gusts up to 70 mph and drenching rainfall.

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Maryland Conditions, Alerts Expired

With 3 to 6 inches of rain expected in Maryland, particularly around the Interstate 95 corridor, officials advised drivers to stay off the roads if possible early in the day.

Flash flooding was likely, according to the National Weather Service, which posted flash flood warnings around central Maryland and advised evacuations and rescues may be necessary. The Baltimore-Washington region was under a tropical storm warning as well.

"If you can delay your travel under later today, please do so," Maryland State Police said in a statement after 8 a.m. Tuesday. "Proceed with caution and stay safe."

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency said most of the state is likely to feel the effects of Isaias, from downpours to tropical storm-force winds.

After 8:30 a.m., the National Weather Service reported up to 2 inches of rain had fallen. With 1 to 2 more inches expected in the next hour, officials issued a flash flood warning in effect until 12:15 p.m. for Baltimore City as well as Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Prince George's counties.

Coastal flooding may occur on the Chesapeake Bay's western shores and the southwest waterfront in Washington, D.C., as the storm churns north.

Parts of Maryland were under a tornado watch until noon Tuesday:

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore County
• Calvert County
• Harford County
• St. Mary's County

See Also:

• Isaias' Impact In NC: 153,495 Without Power, Two Dead
• Bay Bridge Travel Updates As Tropical Storm Isaias Hits Maryland
• Flood Warning Issued For Part Of Montgomery Co. Due To Isaias
• HoCo Centers Open For Charging Devices, HCPSS Meals Available
• Traffic Advisories: Montgomery County Road Closures Due To Isaias
• Tropical Storm Isaias Floods Anne Arundel County, Kills Power