MD Storms: Water Rescue, Trees Down, House Fire Reported Monday

MARYLAND — Severe storms rolled through Maryland Monday night with wind gusts up to 70 mph and flash flooding in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. Hail the size of ping-pong balls pelted the Baltimore metropolitan area, and lightning punctuated storms around the Baltimore-Washington region.

About 1 to 3 inches of rain fell before midnight, the National Weather Service reported, and officials said streams and creeks continued rising despite the rain ending, due to runoff.

Crews saved two people from a boat that was hit during the storm in Edgemere, near Dundalk.

The Baltimore County Volunteer Firefighter's Association reported the water rescue in the 9100 block of North Point Road before 10:30 p.m.

Trees toppled onto roads in parts of south Baltimore, and lightning was pinned as the likely cause of a two-alarm house fire in Montgomery County.

Wilkens Avenue near the Baltimore City-County line was closed due to a downed utility pole after 10 a.m. Tuesday, and crews said it may not be reopened until Tuesday night.

The fire broke out in the 24800 block of Sweet Cherry Lane in Damascus, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer reported at 10:20 p.m. Monday. More than $800,000 in damage resulted, and a family was displaced, he said. The cause was "likely lightning," he said Monday night — the fire erupted while a severe thunderstorm was in the area. The official cause remained under investigation Tuesday morning, Piringer reported.

Update - 24810 Sweet Cherry La, Damascus; Cause, under investigation; Damage $800K, incl >$50K collateral heat damage (neighbor’s houses); Area of Origin, deck/roof; 1 family (2 adults/3kids) displaced; all occupants got out prior to @mcfrs arrival, FFs encountered heavy fire https://t.co/JFTUvGruYh pic.twitter.com/rwM6D6YUCl
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) June 15, 2021

In Carroll County, lightning closed the carnival hosted by the Sykesville-Freedom Dictrict Fire Department around 8:45 p.m. Monday.

More than 5,100 BGE customers in Baltimore were without power after 10 p.m. Monday, as storms packing strong winds and lightning barreled through the region.

BGE reported over 4,600 outages remained after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in these areas:

• Baltimore City — 2,379
• Baltimore County — 1,768
• Anne Arundel County — 226
• Prince George’s County — 244

Pepco was reporting more than 200 outages in Maryland after 8 a.m. Tuesday: 176 in Montgomery County and 26 in Prince George's County.

Flash flood warnings expired at 1:45 a.m. Tuesday in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, while another in Baltimore City and Baltimore County lasted through 12:45 a.m.

Forecasters anticipate a calmer Tuesday, with temperatures topping out around the low 80s in central Maryland.

A small craft advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. for the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Potomac River, as northwest winds of 10 to 15 knots and gusts up to 25 knots are possible.

See the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.