Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide

Maryland Emergency Management Agency TROPICAL CYCLONES

The Eyewall: This is the region where the strongest winds TROPICAL CYCLONES get as close to the center of the storm as they can. The eyewall Tropical cyclones, a general term for tropical storms consists of a ring of tall intense that produce and hurricanes, are low pressure systems that form over heavy rains and usually the strongest winds. Changes in the the tropics and sub-tropics. These storms are referred to structure of the eye and eyewall can cause changes in the as “cyclones” due to their rotation. Tropical cyclones are wind speed, which is an indicator of the storm’s intensity. among the most powerful and destructive meteorological The eye can grow or shrink in size and on occasion, double systems on earth. On average it takes about fi ve days for eyewalls can form. a to reach its maximum potential intensity. Their destructive elements include very high winds, heavy These are curved bands of clouds rain, lightning, tornadoes, hail, and . The Spiral Rainbands: and thunderstorms trailing away from the eyewall in a spiral There are four stages of tropical cyclone in order of fashion. These bands are capable of producing heavy bursts development: of rain and wind, as well as tornadoes. There are sometimes gaps between spiral rainbands where no rain or intense Tropical Wave: a low pressure trough of persisting wind is found. winds that blow from east to west. Tropical Depression: a closed circulation with maxi- Typical hurricane strength mum sustained surface wind speed less than 39 mph. A Tropical Cyclone’s Size: tropical cyclones are about 300 miles wide, although they Tropical Storm: a closed circulation with a maximum sustained surface wind speed from 39-73 mph. can vary considerably. Size is not necessarily an indication of Hurricane: a closed circulation maximum sustained hurricane intensity. Hurricane Andrew (1992), the second surface wind greater than 74 mph. most devastating hurricane to hit the , next to Katrina (2005), was a relatively small hurricane. However, the hurricane’s destructive winds and rains covered a wide The main parts of a tropical Hurricane Structure: swath. For a large system, hurricane-force winds can extend cyclone are the rainbands, the eye, and the eyewall. Air outward more than 150 miles. The area over which tropical spirals in toward the center in a counter-clockwise pattern storm-force winds occur is even greater, ranging as far out in the northern hemisphere and out the top in the opposite as 300 miles from the eye of a large hurricane. direction. In the very center of the storm, sinking air forms a mostly cloud free region called the “eye”. Hurricane Season: The (NWS) National Hurricane Center defi nes June 1 through November 30 as the Atlantic hurricane season. September is the most active month for tropical cyclones in Maryland. National Hurricane Center records show that on average, ten tropical cyclones develop each year over the three primary regions for development, the Atlantic Basin, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Of these, on average, six storms strengthen to become hurricanes, and of these, two reach to a major hurricane intensity of category three or higher based on the Saffi r-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The Eye: The hurricane’s center is a relatively calm, generally clear area of sinking air and light winds that usually What about Maryland? Generally, Maryland is spared do not exceed 15 mph and is typically 20-40 miles across. from land falling hurricanes because of the orientation of the An eye develops when maximum sustained wind speed Mid-Atlantic coastline, as well as the State’s latitude. Because exceeds 74 mph. the coast of North Carolina extends out into the Atlantic,

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 2 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency TROPICAL CYCLONES storms trending up the coast tend to make landfall there Active watches and warnings are contained within the or pass offshore. Most hurricanes approaching Maryland text of the public advisory and in nearly all instances provide make landfall to the south and soon are downgraded to a 48-hour lead time for watches and a 36-hour lead time tropical storm or tropical depression status. for warnings. However, a number of factors point to the potential for increased danger from severe tropical cyclones in Tropical Cyclone Impacts: Tropical cyclone hazards Maryland. Steady population growth and continuing near- come in several forms: storm surge, high winds, fl ooding, shore development are increasing the risk of human injury and tornadoes. and property loss. There is also widespread agreement among climatologists that a gradual change in climate is Storm Surge: The intensity of tropical cyclones is measured occurring. Potential effects include the melting of polar ice, by wind velocity, although the greatest devastation is usually expansion of the oceans, and an overall rise in sea levels. associated with storm surge and fl ooding. For example, The slow sinking of land in the Chesapeake region, due to Hurricanes Agnes (1972) and Fran (1996) produced some the combined effects of ground water withdrawal and post- of the worst fl ooding ever recorded for western and central glacial rebound, effectively doubles the global rate of sea Maryland due to heavy rains. In terms of storm surge, the level rise in Maryland’s coastal areas. These factors increase August 1933 storm was particularly destructive, generating the vulnerability of coastal areas to storm surge. a 7-foot surge and waves over 20 feet high that created the inlet now separating Ocean City from Assateague Island.

NOAA/NWS Annapolis, MD, Isabel 2003 MEMA, Hurricane Isabel, Eastern Shore Flooding Advisories, Watches, and Warnings: The National Hurricane Center issues tropical cyclone advisories once a Storm surge is an abnormal local rise in sea level. storm reaches the level of tropical depression. Advisories are The storm surge is caused by the difference in wind and issued every six hours; in the eastern time zone, advisories barometric pressure between a tropical system and the are issued at 5 and 11 a.m. and 5 and 11 p.m. The Center environment outside the system. The end result is that also issues intermediate advisories every three hours when water is pushed onto a coastline. The height of the surge coastal watches or warnings have been posted and every is measured as the difference from mean sea level and can two hours when coastal watches or warnings have been reach over 25 feet in extreme circumstances. The most posted and land-based Doppler radars have identifi ed a devastating storm surges occur just to the right of the eye reliable storm center. Additionally, special public advisories of a landfalling hurricane. For coastal areas, the storm surge may be issued at any time whenever a signifi cant change has is typically the most dangerous and damaging aspect of the been noted in the storm. storm.

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Strong southerly winds ahead of the hurricane can debris, such as wood and metal siding, and sending them push tides well above normal levels, causing extensive tidal hurling at high speeds into other structures. fl ooding along the length of the Chesapeake Bay. Storm Tropical storm-force winds are strong enough to be surges of 5 feet or more can occur over central portions of dangerous to those caught in them. It is for this reason, the Bay, inundating sections of Dorchester and Somerset emergency managers try to have their evacuations Counties. Associated excessive rainfall amounts across the completed and their emergency response personnel lower Eastern Shore can cause signifi cant crop damage and sheltered before the onset of tropical storm force winds inland fl ooding. (39 mph). In a hurricane, the strongest winds usually occur to the right side of the hurricane. The winds associated with a hurricane usually decrease signifi cantly within 12 hours after landfall. Nonetheless, winds can stay above hurricane strength well inland. Hurricane Hugo (1989) battered High Winds: Hurricanes are known for their damaging Charlotte, North Carolina, about 175 winds and they are rated in strength by their wind speed. The miles inland, with wind gusts to nearly wind experienced from a hurricane damages and destroys 100 mph. structures in two ways. First, many homes are damaged or The intensity of a landfalling hurricane is expressed in destroyed when high winds lift the roof off of the structure. terms of categories, relating to wind speeds and potential The process is called Bernoulli’s Principle, which states the damage as described in the Saffi r-Simpson Hurricane Wind faster the air moves across a structure, the pressure lowers Scale below. on the exposed side of the roof creating higher pressure HURRICANE CATEGORIES DAMAGE in the attic. This action is similar to that on the wing of an Category Wind Speed airplane. As wind fl ow and speed increase across the wing 1 74-95 mph Some damage of an airplane, it acquires lift. In the case of a roof, the lift 2 96-110 mph Extensive damage created pulls the roof free and it becomes airborne. With 3 111-130 mph Devastating Damage the roof gone, the walls can be more easily blown down by 4 131-155 mph Catastrophic Damage the force of the wind. 5 156+ mph Catastrophic Damage

Before the Hurricane Season: ✔ Know the hurricane risks in your area. ✔ Learn safe evacuation routes inland. ✔ Learn the location of designated shelters. ✔ Review needs and working conditions of emergency equipment, such as fl ashlights and battery-powered radios. ✔ Ensure that enough nonperishable food and water supplies are on hand. ✔ Obtain and store materials, such as plywood, necessary to secure your home properly. Courtesy of FEMA – Sabine, TX, heavily damaged as noted by blue roof ✔ Clear loose/clogged rain gutters and downspouts. ✔ Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed. The second way homes and structures are destroyed ✔ Determine where to move your boat in an emergency. or damaged is by wind blowing the airborne roof and other ✔ Review your fl ood insurance policy.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 4 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency TROPICAL CYCLONES

When in a Watch Area: What to bring to a shelter: fi rst-aid kit; medications; ✔ Frequently listen to radio, TV, or NOAA All Hazards baby food and diapers; cards, games, books; toiletries; for offi cial bulletins of the storm’s battery-powered radio; a charged cell phone; fl ashlight progress. (one per person); extra batteries; blankets or sleeping bags; ✔ Fuel and service family vehicles. identifi cation, valuable papers (insurance), and cash. ✔ Inspect and secure mobile home tie downs. ✔ Cover all window and door openings with shutters or Flooding: In addition to storm surge and high winds, tropical other protective materials. cyclones threaten the United States with their torrential rains ✔ Check batteries and stock up on canned food, fi rst-aid and fl ooding. Even after winds have diminished, the fl ood supplies, drinking water, and medications. potential from these storms can remain for several days after ✔ Secure lawn furniture and other loose and lightweight landfall. Since 1970, nearly 60 percent of the 600 deaths objects, such as garbage cans and garden tools. due to fl oods associated with tropical cyclones occurred ✔ Have an extra supply of cash on hand. inland from the storm’s landfall. Of that 60 percent, almost a fourth of tropical cyclone deaths occur when people Plan to evacuate if you: drown in their cars or attempt to abandon their cars once ✔ Live in a mobile home. They are unsafe in high winds, no it is too late. matter how well fastened to the ground. While storm surge is always a potential threat, more ✔ Live on the coastline, an offshore island, or near a river people have died from inland fl ooding during the 30-year or a fl ood plain. period from 1970 to 1999. Intense rainfall is not directly ✔ Live in a high-rise. Hurricane winds are stronger at related to the wind speed of a tropical cyclone. In fact, some higher elevations. of the greatest rainfall amounts occur from weaker storms that drift slowly or stall over an area. When in a Warning Area: Inland fl ooding can be a major threat to communities ✔ Closely monitor radio, TV, or NOAA All Hazards hundreds of miles from the coast as intense rain falls from Weather Radio for offi cial bulletins. these huge tropical air masses. ✔ Complete preparation activities, such as putting up storm shutters, and storing loose objects. ✔ Follow instructions issued by local offi cials; Leave immediately if told to do so! ✔ If evacuating, leave early (if possible, in daylight). Stay with friends or relatives, at a low-rise inland hotel/motel, or go to a pre-designated public shelter outside of any fl ood zone. ✔ Mobile homes must be evacuated. ✔ Notify neighbors or a family member outside of the warning area of your evacuation plans. ✔ Put food and water out for a pet if you cannot take it with you.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 5 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency TROPICAL CYCLONES

Courtesy of USGS Flooding Safety Rules ✔ Monitor the NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio or your favorite news source for weather information. ✔ If fl ooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to fl ooding. ✔ Avoid areas already fl ooded, especially if the water is fl owing fast. Do not attempt to cross fl owing streams. ✔ Road beds may be washed out under fl ood waters. NEVER drive through fl ooded roadways. Turn Around Don’t Drown!TM If your vehicle is caught suddenly in rising water, leave it immediately and seek higher ground. ✔ Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams or other bodies of water, particularly during threatening conditions. Urban and Small Stream Advisory: Flooding of ✔ Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to small streams, streets and low-lying areas, such as railroad recognize fl ood dangers. underpasses and urban storm drains, is occurring. Tornadoes: Hurricanes also can produce tornadoes that add to the storm’s destructive power. Tornadoes are most likely to occur in the right-front quadrant of the hurricane. However, they are also often found elsewhere embedded in rainbands associated with the hurricane, well away from the center of the hurricane. Some hurricanes seem to produce no tornadoes, while others produce multiple ones. Studies have shown that more than half of the landfalling hurricanes produce at least one . In general, tornadoes associated with hurricanes The Power of Water, Courtesy of NOAA are less intense than those occurring in the Great Plains. Flash or Flood Watch: Flash fl ooding or fl ooding When associated with hurricanes, tornadoes are not is possible within the designated watch area — the public usually accompanied by hail or a lot of lightning. Tornado must be alert. production can occur for days after landfall when the tropical cyclone remnants maintain an identifi able low pressure or : Flash fl ooding or fl ooding circulation. Tornadoes can develop at any time of the day has been reported or is imminent — take necessary or night during landfall; however, 12 hours after landfall, precautions at once! tornadoes tend to occur mainly during daytime hours.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 6 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency THUNDERSTORMS

for citizens to be alert and prepared to go to safe shelter if THUNDERSTORMS such threats do develop or if a warning is issued. Warnings As in tropical cyclones, a is commonly are issued by the responsible local weather forecast offi ce characterized by lightning, winds of varying intensity, when a severe thunderstorm or tornado has been sighted intense rainfall and sometimes hail. An estimated 2,000 or indicated by Doppler weather radar. thunderstorms occur in the world at any given moment. In terms of the relative frequency or intensity of thunderstorms Thunderstorm hazards come across the United States, the risk to Maryland is somewhat Thunderstorm Impacts: in several forms: tornadoes, hail, lightning, high winds, heavy lower than average. Kansas and Arizona experience the rain, and fl ash and riverine fl ooding. longest annual duration of thunderstorm events, and Florida experiences the greatest number of thunderstorm events and the highest lightning strike density. Over the 30-year period (1970-1999), the Maryland per year average was around 41 events. In recent years, this number has increased sharply to around 70 events and is most likely due to more complete reporting due to the introduction of Doppler Weather Radar. Frequency of thunderstorm events in Maryland is highest in central Maryland, including Anne Arundel, , Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties. Somerset County and Ocean City experience the lowest number of events per year.

NOAA/NWS, 2001, College Park, MD

Tornadoes: A tornado is a violently rotating funnel-shaped column of air extending from a thunderstorm cloud to the ground. Tornadoes can touch the ground with winds of over 300 mph. While relatively short-lived, tornadoes are intensely focused and are one of nature’s most violent storms. How Do Tornadoes Form?

Courtesy of NOAA

Watches and Warnings: The NWS’s Severe Storms Before thunderstorms Rising air within An area of rotation, Prediction Center prepares severe thunderstorm and develop, a change the thunderstorm 2-6 miles wide, now tornado watches when weather conditions are such that in wind direction updraft tilts the extends through and an increase in rotating air from much of the storm. a severe thunderstorm, capable of producing damaging wind speed with horizontal to Most strong and winds of 58 mph or higher and/or hail one inch in diameter increasing height vertical. violent tornadoes or greater, is likely to develop. A tornado or severe creates an invisible, form within this area thunderstorm watch does not indicate an imminent tornado horizontal spinning of strong rotation. effect in the lower or gusty winds and large hail; rather, a watch is an advisory atmosphere.

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Tornadoes can range from just several yards to over 2 miles in width. Tornadoes can destroy almost everything in their path. Although tornadoes normally travel on the ground for short distances, tornado tracks of 200 miles have been documented. Tornadoes are classifi ed by their wind speed and the damage they create. The Enhanced Fujita Scale is a set of wind estimates, not measurements, based on damage. The scale uses 28 Damage Indicators (DIs), not shown in the scale below, with descriptions such as “Double-wide mobile home” or “Strip mall”. These are used along with Degree of Damage Indicators (DODs) to determine wind estimates as described in the scale. Different structures, depending on their building materials NOAA/NWS, 1998, Frostburg, MD and ability to survive high winds, have their own DIs and DODs. July is the peak month for tornado activity in Maryland. Annually, Maryland averages 4.6 tornado events; however, in 1995 the single-season had 24 reported tornadoes. Two of Maryland’s most devastating tornadoes have struck La Plata. Although the tornadoes occured 75 years apart, the incidents raise the question of whether certain locations are more likely to be in the paths of tornadoes than others. Counties west of the Chesapeake Bay generally experience a higher frequency of tornadoes than those on the Eastern Shore. Anne Arundel, Charles, Frederick, and Prince George’s Counties rank as a high risk for tornado frequency. LaPlata, MD, Supercell from the air Courtesy of NOAA

ENHANCED FUJITA TORNADO INTENSITY SCALE Scale Wind Speed Frequency Potential Damage EF0 65-85 mph 53.5% Minor EF1 86-110 mph 31.6% Moderate EF2 111-135 mph 10.7% Considerable EF3 136-165 mph 3.6% Severe EF4 166-200 mph 0.7% Devastating EF5 > 200 mph 0.1% Extreme

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 8 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency THUNDERSTORMS Tornado Safety What YOU Can Do! Before the Storm: ✔ Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and when outdoors. ✔ Have frequent drills. ✔ Know the county in which you live, and keep a highway map nearby to follow storm movement from weather bulletins. ✔ Have a NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio with a warning alarm tone and battery back-up to receive warnings. ✔ Listen to radio and television for information. ✔ If planning a trip outdoors, listen to the latest forecasts and take necessary action if threatening weather is possible. NOAA/NWS

If a Warning is issued or if threatening weather occasionally occur in Maryland. A thunderstorm with hail approaches: that affected several Maryland counties and caused $75 ✔ In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, million in damage occurred on April 23, 1999. The storm such as a basement. originated in western , then tracked across ✔ If an underground shelter is not available, move to an western Maryland, northern Virginia, and lower southern interior room or hallway on the lowest fl oor and get Maryland, producing up to grapefruit-sized hail. In general, under a sturdy piece of furniture. central Maryland and westward into Washington County ✔ Stay away from windows. have a higher incidence of hail events. Eastern Shore ✔ Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car; get out of counties and Allegany and Garrett Counties experience your car immediately and seek nearby safe shelter in a lower hail frequency. sturdy building. Hail can cause serious damage, notably to automobiles, ✔ Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection aircraft, skylights, glass-roofed structures, livestock, and from tornadoes and should be abandoned. most commonly, farmers’ crops. Hail damage to roofs often ✔ If in open country and no shelter is available, lie fl at and goes unnoticed until further structural damage is seen, such face-down on low ground protecting the back of your as leaks or cracks. It is hardest to recognize hail damage on head with your arms. Get as far away as possible from shingled roofs and fl at roofs, but all roofs have their own hail trees and cars, as they can be blown onto you. damage detection problems. Metal roofs are fairly resistant to hail damage, but may accumulate cosmetic damage in Hail: Hail is associated exclusively with thunderstorms. Its the form of dents and damaged coatings. irregular shape results from a thunderstorm’s violent updrafts and downdrafts that cause repeated freezing and melting of Hail Safety Tips: ice. Hail varies in size and shape from pea-sized to coconut- If you are in a car: sized. The NWS issues a severe thunderstorm or tornado ✔ Stop driving. If you can see a safe place close by (like warning if hail 1 inch in diameter or greater is reported or inside a garage, under a highway overpass, or under a indicated by Doppler Weather Radar. The greatest damage service station awning), drive there as soon as you can. from hail is to crops, vehicles, and structures. Make sure you pull completely off the highway. The majority of hail events in Maryland occur in the ✔ Do NOT leave the vehicle until it stops hailing. Your car months of May and June. Large hail events are most often will furnish reasonable protection. associated with thunderstorms in the Midwest, but they can

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 9 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency THUNDERSTORMS

✔ Stay away from car windows. Cover your eyes with something (like a piece of clothing). If possible, get onto the fl oor face down, or lie down on the seat with your back to the windows. Put very small children under you, and cover their eyes. If you are in a building: ✔ Stay inside until the hail stops. ✔ Stay away from the windows, especially those being struck by hail. ✔ Account for all family members, building occupants, pets, etc. ✔ Do not go outside for any reason. Large hail can cause serious or even fatal injuries. Photographer: C. Clark Credit: NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; OAR/ERL/Na- If you are outdoors: tional Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) ✔ Seek shelter immediately. If you can’t fi nd something to protect your entire body, at least fi nd something to The majority of lightning events in Maryland occur in the protect your head. months of June and July. In general, central Maryland is at ✔ Stay out of culverts and lowland areas that might fi ll a higher risk for frequency of lightning strikes than the rest suddenly with water. of the State, with the exceptions of Baltimore City and ✔ Trees are a last resort. It is common during severe Howard County. The Eastern Shore, Cecil and Talbot storms for trees to lose branches. Also, large isolated Counties have a relatively higher frequency risk than the trees attract lightning. other counties.

Lightning: Lightning is a visible fl ow of electrical current Lightning Safety Tips: between the earth and thunderstorm clouds, occurring ✔ PLAN in advance your evacuation and safety when varying positive and negative charges build up in measures. When you fi rst see lightning or hear thunder, the atmosphere during a thunderstorm. Lightning typically activate your emergency plan. Now is the time to go to a generates temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun, building or a vehicle. Lightning often precedes rain, 30,000°F to 50,000°F. When the bolt suddenly heats the so don’t wait for the rain to begin before suspending air around it to such as extreme, the air instantly expands, activities. ✔ IF OUTDOORS...Avoid water. Avoid the high sending out a shockwave we hear as the explosive sound of ground. Avoid open spaces. Avoid all metal objects thunder. The diameter of a lightning bolt is about half an inch including electric wires, fences, machinery, motors, power to an inch wide, but can be up to 5 inches wide. The average tools, etc. Unsafe places include underneath canopies, length of a lightning bolt from a cloud to the ground is 3 to small picnic or rain shelters, or near trees. Where 4 miles long. possible, fi nd shelter in a substantial building or in a fully Lightning kills more people in the U.S. annually (an enclosed vehicle such as a car, truck, or van with the average of 90 and injures an average of 273) than any other windows completely shut. If lightning is striking nearby natural disaster except fl oods. Since no agency requires when you are outside, you should: reporting of lightning injuries, the true frequency of injury • Crouch down. Put feet together. Place hands from lightning is diffi cult to determine. Lightning impacts over ears to minimize hearing damage from property as well as people. In the 1990s, 15,000 lightning- thunder. induced fi res caused widespread damage across the U.S., • Avoid proximity (minimum of 15 ft.) to other including the loss of over 2 million acres of forest. people.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 10 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency THUNDERSTORMS

✔ IF INDOORS...Avoid water. Stay away from doors and windows. Do not use the telephone. Take off head sets. Turn off, unplug, and stay away from appliances, computers, power tools, and TV sets. Lightning may strike exterior electric and phone lines, inducing shocks to inside equipment. ✔ SUSPEND ACTIVITIES for 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder. ✔ INJURED PERSONS do not carry an electrical charge and can be handled safely. Apply First Aid procedures to a lightning victim if you are qualifi ed to do so. Call 911 or send for help immediately. ✔ KNOW YOUR EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS, including 911. MEMA, Frederick County Flash Flood Two basic types of damaging wind events High Winds: The highest risk for heavy rain is in Frederick and Prince other than tropical systems affect Maryland: synoptic-scale George’s Counties, and the lowest risk is in Somerset winds and thunderstorm winds. Synoptic-scale or large County. In general, southern Maryland, the lower Eastern scale winds are high winds that occur typically with cold Shore, and Allegany and Garrett Counties are at a lower frontal passages or Nor’easters, and are uncommon in risk for heavy rain than the rest of the State. Such heavy Maryland. When thunderstorm winds are over 58 mph, the rainfall durations can result in fl ash or riverine fl ooding. thunderstorm is considered severe and a warning is issued. “Downbursts” cause the high winds in a thunderstorm. Two types of fl ooding are Downburst winds result from the sudden descent of cool Flash and Riverine Flooding: associated with rivers and streams: fl ash and riverine. Flash or cold air toward the ground. As the air hits the ground, it fl ooding results from a combination of rainfall intensity and spreads outward, creating a fast moving surge of high winds. duration and is infl uenced further by local topography and Unlike tornadoes, downburst winds move in a straight line, the ground’s capacity to hold water. Flash fl oods also can without rotation. result from the sudden release of water from the breakup of The majority of wind events in Maryland occur in June an ice jam or a dam failure. and July. In general, central Maryland is at greater risk for a wind event than the rest of the State, with Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Anne Arundel Counties all at high risk of wind events.

Heavy Rain: A heavy rain event is defi ned by the NWS as rainfall that does not necessarily cause fl ooding but does cause locally signifi cant damage, such as crop damage or roof collapse. In Maryland, most heavy rain events occur from May to September, due to thunderstorm activity. The greatest concentration of heavy rain events occur in June and July. There is considerable variation in the number of heavy rain events from year to year, with no distinguishable trend over time. Over the past 30 years, Maryland has recorded an annual average of nearly 18 events. The most heavy rain events ever recorded were 118 in 2000. NOAA/NWS Allegany County, 1996 Flood

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More than half of all fl ash fl ood deaths occur when Allegany, Carroll, Garrett, and Anne Arundel Counties. motorists are trapped in their cars by rapidly rising water. The frequency of riverine fl ooding by jurisdiction shows Over the past 30 years, Maryland has averaged two riverine Frederick and Garrett Counties are at the highest risk for fl ooding events annually. riverine fl ooding, approximately one event every three These events typically occur during the thunderstorm years with Montgomery and Washington Counties the next season, between May and September. On average, nearly highest at risk. half of the fl ash fl ood events in Maryland occur in June and July. In contrast to the intense rainfalls that typify fl ash fl ooding Flood Safety Tips: events, riverine fl ooding is caused by persistent moderate ✔ Monitor the NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio or or heavy rain over one or more days, sometimes combined your favorite news source for vital weather related with snowmelt, causing a river to slowly rise and overfl ow its information. banks. Rivers may take several days or even weeks to rise ✔ If fl ooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of over their banks, providing enough warning for people to areas subject to fl ooding. This includes dips, low spots, move to higher ground. River fl oods can last for weeks and canyons, washes, etc. can inundate very large areas or entire regions. ✔ Avoid areas already fl ooded, especially if the water is Nationally, fl ooding is the most common, most fl owing fast. Do not attempt to cross fl owing streams. destructive, and deadliest natural hazard. Nearly 90 percent Turn Around Don’t Drown™ of Presidential Disaster Declarations involve fl ooding. Annual ✔ Road beds may be washed out under fl ood waters. fl ood damage nationwide averages $6 billion. Flooding is a NEVER drive through fl ooded roadways. Turn Around persistent concern in Maryland, a coastal state with over 12 Don’t Drown™ percent of its surface area in fl oodplains and nearly 8,000 ✔ Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and miles of tidal shoreline associated with the Chesapeake Bay washes, particularly during threatening conditions. and its tributaries. ✔ Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to The frequency of fl ash fl ood events is greatest in recognize fl ood dangers. Frederick and Montgomery Counties, followed by

Photographer: Mike Berna Photographer: Mike Berna

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 12 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency WINTER HAZARDS WINTER HAZARDS Maryland’s three western counties, particularly Garrett Hazards associated with winter involve dangers due to County, can experience lake-effect snow originating exposure to cold, snow, sleet, ice, and wind chill. from Lake Erie. Unlike Nor’easters and their associated Atlantic moisture, lake-effect snow is associated with Snow: Many of the major winter storms that affect Maryland small to moderate amounts of Great Lakes moisture are known as “Nor’easters” because they are accompanied being uplifted and deposited as heavy snow. Allegany and by strong northeast winds. The storms often form in the Gulf Garrett Counties experience the highest risk for snow. of Mexico, intensify, and move up the coast. High pressure Washington, Frederick, Carroll, and Baltimore Counties systems over the Maritime Provinces of Canada deliver the and Baltimore City are at a medium-high snow risk. The cold air to Nor’easters that result in winter precipitation. four contiguous counties on the lower Eastern Shore, (Dorchester, Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico) have a low risk for snow. The NWS issues warnings when snowfall is expected to accumulate more than 4 inches in 12 hours. Severe snow storms can signifi cantly slow traffi c and commerce, causing power outages, disrupting communications, and causing buildings to collapse.

NOAA/NWS Veteran’s Day Storm 1987

The heaviest snow with a Nor’easter often occurs in a band 50 to 100 miles wide. Precipitation along this band typically changes from snow in the west to a transition area of freezing rain and sleet then fi nally to rain in the east. Counties west of the Chesapeake Bay are more likely to experience snow or mixed precipitation. Eastern Shore Courtesy of You Tube, ice damage to trees and power lines. counties are more likely to experience rain, as warmer easterly winds off the ocean erode the cold air dam. Ice: A “pure ice” storm is rare in Maryland, where near- freezing temperatures are more likely to produce a mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Freezing rain is rain that falls onto a surface with a temperature below freezing, causing it to form a coating or glaze of ice. Sleet is defi ned as raindrops that freeze into ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet usually bounces when hitting a surface and typically does not stick to objects, though it can accumulate like snow and become a hazard to motorists. The term “” is used by the NWS to describe a storm that produces a signifi cant accumulation of ice during a freezing rain event. An accumulation of a quarter inch or more of ice is termed “glaze” and can trigger a winter storm Repair crews responding to power outages, Feb. 2010 warning.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 13 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency WINTER HAZARDS

Winter Safety Tips ✔ Keep ahead of advancing winter weather by listening to the media and monitoring NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio. ✔ An ice storm will take down power lines, knocking out electricity. Check battery-powered equipment before the storm arrives. ✔ Check your food and stock an extra supply. Include food that requires no cooking in case of power failure. If there are infants or people who need medication, make sure you have a supply of the proper food and medicine. Make sure pets and animals have shelter and a water supply. ✔ If appropriate, check your supply of heating fuel. Fuel carriers may not be able to reach you due to closed roads. Source: NWS, 2001. Wind-Chill Temperature Index. ✔ Be careful when using fi replaces, stoves, or space heaters. Proper ventilation is essential to avoid a deadly Even small accumulations of ice can be hazardous, build-up of carbon monoxide. Don’t use charcoal inside making walking and driving extremely dangerous. Signifi cant as it gives off large amounts of carbon monoxide. Keep accumulations of ice can down trees and utility lines, fl ammable material away from space heaters and do not resulting in loss of power and communication. To produce overload electric circuits. this amount of ice, freezing rain usually has to fall for several ✔ Dress for the conditions when outdoors. Wear several hours. layers of lightweight, warm clothing; layers can be Generally, the pattern for frequency of ice events has removed to prevent perspiring and subsequent chill. western and central Maryland at a high to medium-high risk Outer garments should be tightly woven, waterproof and southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore at a lower and hooded. For the hands, mittens, snug at the wrists, risk for ice events. offer better protection than fi ngered gloves. ✔ Don’t kill yourself shoveling snow. It is extremely hard Extreme cold: NOAA defi nes extreme cold events as work for anyone in less than prime physical condition. events with temperatures that are “much colder than normal It can bring on a heart attack, a major cause of death for a given location,” based on the location’s climate zone. during and after winter storms. Exposure to extreme cold temperatures, even for a short ✔ Your automobile can be your best friend or worst period of time, can result in hypothermia, frostbite, or even enemy during winter storms. Get your car winterized before winter arrives. The following items should be death. checked: ignition system, cooling system, fuel system, Wind greatly increases the dangers of frostbite and battery, lights, tires, heater, brakes, wipers, defroster, oil, hypothermia by drawing heat from the body, which decreases and exhaust system. Keep water out of your fuel tank by skin temperature and eventually body temperature. The wind- keeping it full. chill index attempts to quantify the cooling effect of wind with ✔ If you travel often during winter, carry a winter storm the actual outside air temperature to determine a wind-chill kit in your car. It should include: fl ashlight, windshield temperature that represents how cold people and animals scraper, paper towels, extra clothes, matches/candles, feel, based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin. booster cables, compass, maps, sand, chains, blankets, A wind-chill index of minus 5 indicates that the combined and high calorie non-perishable food and water. effects of wind and temperature on exposed fl esh are ✔ Winter travel by car is serious business. If the storm the same as if the air temperature alone were 5 degrees exceeds or tests your driving ability, seek available below zero, even though the actual temperature could shelter immediately. be much higher. The NWS issues a wind-chill advisory ✔ Plan your travel. Try not to travel alone; drive in a convoy when wind-chill temperatures are potentially hazardous, when possible. and a wind-chill warning when the situation can be ✔ Drive carefully and defensively. Pump your breaks when life-threatening. trying to stop on snow or ice covered roads.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 14 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency DROUGHTS AND EXTREME HEAT

DROUGHTS AND EXTREME HEAT Although the simplest defi nition of drought may be “an extended period of dry weather,” there are actually four different types of drought. Meteorological drought: The departure of measured precipitation from normal. Due to climatic differences, what is considered a drought in one location may not be a drought in another. Agricultural drought: The amount of moisture in the soil no longer meets the needs of a particular crop. NOAA/NWS, 1999 Middle River Watershed Fish Kill Hydrological drought: Surface and subsurface water supplies below normal. the “heat index,” a measure of how hot the weather actually Socioeconomic drought: The situation that occurs feels when the effects of temperature and humidity are when physical water shortages begin to affect people. combined. The higher-risk counties average about two events Droughts: Droughts can cause damage not only to per year, whereas the lower-risk counties experience as crops, but also to livestock and wildlife. During a prolonged few as one event every three or four years. The lower risk drought, land values can decrease and unemployment can is in the southern Eastern Shore and Garrett County. This increase. Water restrictions implemented during a drought is most likely due to the southern Eastern Shore counties’ can have a negative economic impact on water-dependent close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay, businesses. Maryland generally experiences average to and Garrett County’s higher elevation. The highest risk for higher-than-average stream fl ow. However, it is normal for extreme heat is in the eastern part of Maryland, from Cecil Maryland to experience drought cycles. to Talbot and Caroline Counties. The risk for drought is higher in the central and western HIGH Possible Heat Disorder: part of the State and is lowest on the lower Eastern Shore. The highest drought risk is in Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, 80°F - 90°F Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and physical activity. Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington Counties. Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, 90°F - 105°F Sunstroke, heat cramps and heat and Ocean City experience the lowest drought risk. exhaustion possible. Crop damage caused by drought is the highest in 105°F - 130°F Sunstroke, heat cramps, and heat Allegany and Carroll Counties. The crop damage pattern exhaustion likely, and heat stroke for Maryland indicates that areas in eastern and southern possible. Maryland are at a lower risk than the rest of the State. 130°F or greater Heat stroke highly likely with continued exposure. Extreme Heat: Extreme heat is an easily overlooked but nonetheless, serious hazard, particularly for certain at-risk Heat Wave Safety Tips populations, such as the elderly, the very young, and people ✔ Slow down. Strenuous activities should be reduced, with mental illness and chronic diseases. However, even eliminated, or rescheduled to the coolest time of the young and healthy individuals can succumb to heat if they day. Individuals at risk should stay in the coolest available participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather. place, not necessarily indoors. In addition to posing a hazard to people, livestock, and ✔ Dress for summer. Lightweight, light-colored clothing crops, extreme heat can cause water shortages, fi re hazards, refl ects heat and sunlight, and helps your body maintain increased energy demands, and damage to infrastructure. normal temperatures. Episodes of extreme heat are typically characterized by ✔ Put less food in your body. Foods (like proteins) that increase high temperature and high humidity. The NWS has devised metabolic heat production also increase water loss.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 15 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency DROUGHTS AND EXTREME HEAT

✔ Drink plenty of water or other non-alcohol fl uids. Your Wild Fires/Brush Fires: Wildfi res are a hazard associated body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fl uids with prolonged drought and fueled by natural cover, including even if you don’t feel thirsty. Consult a physician before native and non-native species of trees, brush and grasses, increasing consumption of fl uids if you: (1) have epilepsy or and crops. While available fuel, topography, and weather heart, kidney, or liver disease, (2) are on a fl uid restrictive provide the conditions that cause wildfi res to spread, most diet, or (3) have a problem with fl uid retention. wildfi res are ignited by people through criminal or accidental ✔ Do not drink alcoholic beverages. misuse of fi re and lightning strikes. Lightning is responsible ✔ Do not take salt tablets unless specifi ed by a physician. for only 2 percent of all wildfi res in Maryland, which is below ✔ Spend more time in air-conditioned places. Air the estimated national average of 8.4 percent. conditioning in homes and other buildings markedly Wildfi res pose serious threats to human safety and reduces danger from the heat. If you cannot afford an air property in rural and suburban areas. They can destroy conditioner, spending some time each day (during hot crops, timber resources, recreation areas, and habitat for weather) in an air-conditioned environment provides wildlife. Wildfi res are commonly perceived as hazards of some protection. the western part of the country; however, wildfi res are a ✔ Don’t get too much sun. Sunburn makes the job of heat growing problem in the wildland/urban interface of the dissipation that much more diffi cult. eastern United States, including Maryland. Wildfi res are a growing natural hazard in most regions Know These Heat Disorder Symptoms of the United States, posing a threat to life and property, SUNBURN: Redness and pain. In severe cases swelling of particularly where native ecosystems meet developed areas. skin, blisters, fever, headaches. First Aid: Ointments for mild cases if blisters appear and do not break. If breaking occurs, apply dry sterile dressing. Serious, extensive cases should be seen by a physician. HEAT CRAMPS: Painful spasms usually in muscles of legs and possibly in the abdomen and heavy sweating. First Aid: Firm pressure on cramping muscles, or gentle massage to relieve spasm. Give sips of water. If nausea occurs, discontinue. HEAT EXHAUSTION: Heavy sweating, weakness, skin cold, pale and clammy. Pulse thready. Normal temperature possible. Fainting and vomiting. First Aid: Get victim out of sun. Lay victim down and loosen clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths. Fan or move victim to air-conditioned room. Provide Courtesy of Maryland Wildland Fire Crew members (MDS#1) from the sips of water. If nausea occurs, discontinue. If vomiting Blackerby Fire, Grangeville, ID, 2005. continues, seek immediate medical attention. HEAT STROKE (or sunstroke): High body temperature However, because fi re is a natural (and often benefi cial) (106° F or higher). Victim has hot dry skin, rapid and strong process, fi re suppression can lead to more severe fi res due pulse, and possibly unconsciousness. First Aid: HEAT STROKE to the buildup of vegetation, which creates more fuel. In IS A SEVERE MEDICAL EMERGENCY. CALL 911 TO addition, the secondary effects of wildfi res, including erosion, SUMMON EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OR landslides, introduction of invasive species, and changes in GET THE VICTIM TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. DELAY water quality, are often more disastrous than the fi re itself. CAN BE FATAL. Move the victim to a cooler environment and The U.S. Geological Service, in conjunction with the reduce body temperature with cold bath or sponging. Remove U.S. Forest Service and other partners, provides tools and clothing. Use fans and air conditioners. If the temperature rises information by identifying wildfi re risks and ways to reduce again, repeat the process. Do not give fl uids. Persons on salt wildfi re hazards, providing real-time fi refi ghting support, restrictive diets should consult a physician before increasing and assessing the aftermath of wildfi res. The goal is to build their salt intake. more resilient communities and ecosystems.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 16 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency TIDAL AND COASTING FLOODING/ EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS TIDAL and COASTAL Rip currents can be killers. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the annual number of deaths due FLOODING to rip currents on our nation’s beaches exceeds 100. Rip Coastal or tidal fl ooding is the inundation of land areas currents account for over 80 percent of rescues performed along the coast by waters over and above normal tidal action, by surf beach lifeguards. originating from oceans, back bays, sounds, or other bodies The greatest safety precaution that can be taken is to of water. recognize the danger of rip currents and always remember The NWS issues a coastal fl ood watch when conditions to swim at beaches with lifeguards. are favorable for tidal fl ooding or storm-induced fl ooding along coastal areas within 12 to 36 hours. A coastal fl ood Learn How to Swim! warning is issued when tidal fl ooding or storm-induced When at the beach: fl ooding is occurring, imminent, or highly likely along coastal ✔ Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard-protected areas within 12 hours. beach. ✔ Never swim alone. ✔ Learn how to swim in the surf. It’s not the same as swimming in a pool or lake. ✔ Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don’t go out. ✔ Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. Lifeguards are trained to identify potential hazards. Ask a lifeguard about the conditions before entering the water. This is part of the job. ✔ Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Courtesy of Wunderground, Ocean City, MD, Flooding from 2009 Permanent rip currents often exist along side these Nor’easter structures. Coastal fl ooding typically occurs when a slow- ✔ Consider using polarized sunglasses when at the beach. moving coastal storm generates persistent easterly winds. They will help you to spot signatures of rip currents by Sometimes, strong high-pressure systems located over cutting down glare and refl ected sunlight off the ocean’s eastern Canada or the Canada Maritimes combine surface. with coastal storms to generate very persistent, strong ✔ Pay especially close attention to children and elderly northeasterly winds for several days, which can produce when at the beach. Even in shallow water, wave action signifi cant coastal fl ooding. can cause loss of footing. In Maryland, tidal fl ooding can occur along the Chesapeake Bay and coastal bays and their tidal tributaries, EARTHQUAKES and as well as the Atlantic shore. Because the Chesapeake Bay TSUNAMIS is shallow and long, astronomical tides take more than 12 Earthquakes: An earthquake is the sudden shaking of the hours to move from one end of the Bay to the other. Coastal ground caused by a release of energy stored in the earth’s fl ooding is a common annual event for Maryland coastal crust. Once a critical threshold is reached within the earth’s communities, particularly from late fall through early spring, crust, the stored energy is released as the rock ruptures and when Nor’easters are most prevalent. slippage occurs along the fault line. Earthquake frequency is low for all Maryland jurisdictions. Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water Howard County has the highest frequency rate with 0.126 fl owing away from shore. They typically extend from the earthquakes per year, due to the swarms of tremors that shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking occurred in the 1990’s. Based on recent earthquake activity waves. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking in Howard County and in nearby areas in adjacent states, waves, including the Great Lakes.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 17 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS

Maryland is rated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as having a moderate earthquake potential.

Tsunamis: The term tsunami comes from the Japanese, meaning “Harbor” and “wave”. Tsunamis are sometimes referred to as tidal waves. In recent years, this term has fallen out of favor, especially in the scientifi c community, because tsunami actually has nothing to do with ocean tides. Tsunami and tides both produce waves of water that move inland, but in the case of a tsunami, the inland movement of water is much greater and lasts for a longer period, giving the impression of an incredibly high tide. NOAA/NWS Tsunami damage Tsunami Warning System (TWS): is a system to detect tsunamis and issue warnings to prevent loss of life and until a reliable model is able to predict which earthquakes property. It consists of two equally important components: a will produce signifi cant tsunamis, this approach will produce network of sensors to detect tsunamis and a communications many more false alarms than verifi ed warnings. infrastructure to issue timely alarms permitting timely As in weather forecast and warning, no system can evacuation of coastal areas. protect against a very sudden tsunami. A devastating There are two distinct types of tsunami warning systems: tsunami occurred off the coast of Hokkaido in Japan as a international and regional. Both depend on the fact that, while result of an earthquake on July 12, 1993. As a result, 202 tsunamis travel at up to 500 mph in open water, earthquakes people on the small island of Okushiri, Hokkaido lost their can be detected almost at once as seismic waves travel with lives, and hundreds more were missing or injured. This a typical speed of nearly 12,000 mph. This allows time for tsunami struck just three to fi ve minutes after the quake, and a possible tsunami forecast to be made and warnings to most victims were caught while fl eeing for higher ground be issued to threatened areas, if warranted. Unfortunately, and secure places after surviving the earthquake. While there remains the potential for sudden devastation from a tsunami, warning systems can be effective. The fi rst part of a tsunami to reach land is called a drawback. Drawback occurs when water along the shoreline recedes dramatically, exposing normally submerged areas. This happens because the fault sinks suddenly during the earthquake, causing the overlaying water to surge outward with the wave at its front. Drawback begins before the wave arrives. If the slope of the coastal seabed is small, drawback can exceed hundreds of meters. People unaware of the danger sometimes remain near the shore to satisfy their curiosity or to collect fi sh from the exposed seabed. Drawbacks can serve as a brief warning. People who observe drawback can survive only if they immediately run for high ground or seek the upper fl oors of nearby buildings. For additional information on these and other natural hazards, you may visit NOAA’s Severe Weather Watch Page at http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/severe.php. Information on storm tracking and naming conventions are a few examples of information contained in the NOAA Watch and Learn website.

Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 18 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency RADIO FREQUENCIES & EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM NOAA radio frequencies 162.400 MHz (Baltimore) 162.500 MHz (Gregg Knob) 162.425 MHz (Frostburg) 162.550 MHz (Manassas) 162.475 MHz (Hagerstown) 162.400 MHz (Moorefi eld) 162.550 MHz (Lewes) 162.475 MHz () 162.400 MHz (Heathsville) 162.500 MHz (Sudlersville) 162.475 MHz (Salisbury) Emergency Alert System (EAS) County Call Letters AM/FM Dial County Call Letters AM/FM Dial Allegany WFRB FM 105.3 Howard WBAL AM 1090 Allegany WFRB AM 560 Howard WIYY FM 97.9 Allegany WKGO FM 106.1 Howard WPOC FM 93.1 Allegany WTBO AM 1450 Kent WCTR AM 1530 Anne Arundel WBAL AM 1090 Kent WKHS FM 90.5 Anne Arundel WHFS FM 99.1 Montgomery WGTS FM 91.5 Anne Arundel WNAV AM 1430 Montgomery WPGC FM 95.5 Baltimore Metro WBAL AM 1090 Montgomery WXLE AM 1600 Baltimore Metro WIYY FM 97.9 Ocean City WWFG FM 99.9 Baltimore Metro WPOC FM 93.1 Prince George's WBIG FM 100.3 Calvert WPRS FM 104.1 Prince George's WMAL AM 630 Calvert WMDM FM 97.7 Prince George's WPGC FM 95.5 Calvert WPTX AM 1690 Prince George's WILC AM 900 Calvert WSMD FM 98.3 Queen Anne's WCEI FM 96.7 Caroline WCEI FM 96.7 Queen Anne's WEMD AM 1460 Caroline WEMD AM 1460 Queen Anne's WCTR AM 1530 Carroll WZBA FM 100.7 Queen Anne's WNAV AM 1430 Carroll WTTR AM 1470 Somerset WBEY FM 96.9 Cecil WJSS AM 1330 Somerset WOLC FM 102.5 Cecil WXCY FM 103.7 Somerset WQHQ FM 104.7 Charles WMDM FM 97.7 Somerset WESM FM 93.1 Charles WPRS FM 104.1 Somerset WSCL FM 89.5 Charles WWGB AM 1030 St. Mary's WKIK AM 1560 Dorchester WCEM FM 106.3 St. Mary's WMDM FM 97.7 Dorchester WCEM AM 1240 St. Mary's WPTX AM 1690 Dorchester WSCL FM 89.5 Talbot WCEI FM 96.7 Frederick WFMD AM 930 Talbot WEMD AM 1460 Frederick WXTR AM 820 Washington WJEJ AM 1240 Frederick WFRE FM 99.9 Washington WAYZ FM 104.7 Garrett WFRB FM 105.3 Wicomico WQHQ FM 104.7 Garrett WFRB AM 560 Wicomico WSCL FM 89.5 Garrett WKHJ FM 104.5 Wicomico WTGM AM 960 Garrett WMSG AM 1050 Wicomico WLVW FM 105.5 Garrett WWHC FM 92.3 Worcester WQHQ FM 104.7 Harford WHFC FM 91.1 Worcester WSCL FM 89.5 Harford WBAL AM 1090 Harford WXCY FM 103.7 For more information . . . Call your local emergency management offi ce. State: Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) 877-MEMA-USA (877-636-2872) • 410-517-3600 www.mema.state.md.us County Phone Frederick ...... 301-600-1746 Talbot ...... 410-770-8160 Allegany ...... 301-777-5908 Garrett ...... 301-334-7619 Washington ...... 240-313-4394 Anne Arundel ...... 410-222-0600 Harford ...... 410-638-4900 Wicomico ...... 410-548-4820 Baltimore ...... 410-887-5996 Howard ...... 410-313-6030 Worcester ...... 410-632-1311 Calvert ...... 410-535-1623 Kent ...... 410-778-3758 Caroline ...... 410-479-2622 Montgomery ...... 240-777-2300 Municipal Phone Carroll ...... 410-386-2290 Prince George’s ...... 301-883-3308 Baltimore City ...... 410-396-6175 Cecil ...... 410-996-5350 Queen Anne’s ...... 410-758-4500 City of Annapolis ...... 410-216-9167 Charles ...... 301-609-3402 St. Mary’s ...... 301-475-4200 Ocean City ...... 410-723-6619 Dorchester ...... 410-228-1818 Somerset ...... 410-651-0707 Maryland Natural Hazards Preparedness Guide 19 MEMA – Maryland Emergency Management Agency TRACKING THE HURRICANE

VT 44 NH You can track the path of Cape Sable 43 NEW YORK Boston the hurricane using MA 42 locational information CT RI Cape Cod 41 provided by NOAA PENNSYLVANIA NYC

40 N Weather Radio or TV NJ MD Atlantic City N weather channels. Using 39 Washington DE the Hurricane Tracking WV DC Ocean City Map, fi nd the longitude and 38 latitude of the storm and put VIRGINIA Norfolk 37 an "X" on that spot*. Every 36 NORTH CAROLINA Cape Hatteras few hours, mark the spot of 35 N the new longitude and Wilmington SOUTH 34 latitude, and you can see CAROLINA Cape Romaine Charleston 33 MISSISSIPPI Bermuda the progress of the storm. ALABAMA GEORGIA LOUISIANA Savannah 32

*One important note: thus TEXAS Mobile 31 Gulfport Jacksonville Pensacola the impact of an average Lake Charles 30 N New Orleans storm can extend 125 miles Galveston 29 Cape Canaveral on either side of the Corpus Christi FLORIDA location. Tampa 28

W. Palm 27 Beach

Brownsville Ft. Myers Miami 26 BAHAMAS

Nassau 25 N

Key West 24 MEXICO Havana LATITUDE (in degrees) 23 TURKS & CAICOS IS. 22 Tampico CUBA

Camagüey Merida 21

Cozumel Guantanamo 20 N Campeche

Veracruz DOMINICAN VIRGIN CAYMAN HAITI 19 Port-au-Prince REPUBLIC San Juan ISLANDS ISLANDS Anguilla JAMAICA Santo Domingo PUERTO RICO St. Croix 18 Kingston Belize City Alcapulco Antigua BELIZE 17 CY M EN AN Guadeloupe G A 16 R G Puerto Cortés Dominica E E GUATEMALA M M 15 N E E HONDURAS Martinique

N

D

T St. Lucia 14 N A EL SALVADOR

A St. Vincent G L

E

Y NICARAGUA 13 N

R

C A Currcao

Y Grenada M 12 Tobago

11 Trinidad COSTA Governor RICA 10 N Martin O’Malley’ PANAMA Balboa COLUMBIA VENEZUELA 9

Lt. Governor 8

Anthony G. Brown 7

101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 MEMA Executive Director W W W W W W W W W W W W Richard Muth LONGITUDE (in degrees)