Tropical Storm Ophelia forms, will impact Maryland

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency Friday night in preparation for Tropical Storm Ophelia.A low pressure system strengthened Friday afternoon into a tropical storm that will bring heavy rain and strong winds to Maryland, prompting some Saturday events to cancel.As of 8 p.m. Friday, Ophelia was producing winds just below hurricane force, according to the National Hurricane Center. It’s expected to bring tropical-storm-force winds, storm surge, heavy rain and high surf to Maryland.NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ADVISORY — 8 p.m. FridayTropical Storm OpheliaLocation: 33.3N 76.6W, about 90 miles ESE of Cape Fear, NCMaximum sustained winds: 70 mphMovement: NNW at 12 mphMinimum central pressure: 984 mbHURRICANE PREPARATION: How to prepare for hurricanesHere are the possibilities:Storm surge of 1-3 feetAbout 2-4 inches of rainFloodingPeak wind gusts of 50-55 mphSTORM TRACKThe storm’s center will approach the coast of North Carolina through Friday night, and then move across eastern North Carolina, southeastern Virginia, and the Delmarva Peninsula Saturday and Sunday.As of 2 p.m. Friday, tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 275 miles from the center.SEVERE WEATHER ALERTSThe National Weather Service issued a Storm Surge Warning for the Chesapeake Bay south of Colonial Beach, Virginia.A Tropical Storm Warning has been extended northward for the Chesapeake Bay south of North Beach. This includes Calvert and St. Mary’s counties in Southern Maryland and Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.A Wind Advisory is now in effect from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for parts of Central Maryland along the Interstate 95 corridor. Northeast winds 20-30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. Gusts up to 50 mph are likely along the immediate shore of the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Potomac. There are also coastal flood advisories and warnings in effect.App users tap here for interactive weather linksWhat this means for Maryland, and whenFRIDAY — Calm before the stormOther than a breeze picking up, clouds will increase and weather conditions will remain quiet and dry for most of Friday. Conditions will deteriorate Friday night as rain moves in from the southeast.SATURDAY — Get ready for steady rainCome Saturday, rain will be heavy at times and could lead to localized flooding in low-lying, poor drainage areas. About 2-4 inches of rain will be possible and locally high amounts can’t be ruled out, especially closer to the coast.Dalencia explains: Storm = not the best beach weekendA few tornadoes will also be possible on Saturday, with areas south and east of metropolitan Baltimore at higher risk. Tropical-storm-force winds will be possible across parts of Southern Maryland and the Lower Eastern Shore with peak winds 35-45 mph and gusts to 50 mph mainly Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening.| RELATED: Your rights if an airline cancels your flightLocalized storm surge of 1-3 feet above ground will be possible beginning early Saturday morning through Sunday morning for locations along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay as well as the shore of the tidal Potomac River. Highest water levels are expected around times of high tide Saturday and Saturday night.Residents around the the lower Chesapeake Bay should watch the weather forecast closely as the storm develops.SUNDAY — Storm moves outNEW as of Friday afternoon: Sunday’s forecast is starting to look at little more promising with a change to the forecast that shows the system appearing to move faster out of Maryland, which would be good news for the Ravens game.WEEKEND EVENTS CANCELEDSATURDAY events canceled:The Annapolis Kunta Kinte FestivalAnnapolis Water Taxi service will end at 6 p.m. Friday/out of service all day SaturdayArtscape on SaturdayThe Big Bike Build fundraiser at Stevenson UniversityThe Harford County Wine FestivalThe Susquehanna River Running FestivalDownload the WBAL-TV app NOW and turn on push alerts to be aware of alerts, listen to NOAA Weather radio, and watch WBAL-TV 11 when impending severe weather develops.Follow: @wbaltv11 | @TTasselWBAL | @AvaWBAL | @TonyPannWBAL | @DalenciaWBAL | @ChelseaWeatherTROPICAL ATLANTIC STORM PATH MARYLAND’S WEATHER RADARMARYLAND FLOOD ALERTSMARYLAND’S 7-DAY FORECASTWBAL-TV 11’s OCEAN CITY WEBCAMWBAL-TV 11’s ANNAPOLIS WEBCAM WBAL-TV 11 Maryland Weather RadarApp users tap here for radar.ALERTS: Severe weather alerts from the WBAL-TV app: step-by-step guideCLOSINGS: See if schools, businesses or organizations have closed or delayedRADAR: Track the storm on WBAL-TV’s interactive radarROADS: Check for crashes and backups with our interactive traffic mapTORNADO SURVIVAL: 5 things you need to do nowLeaders, emergency experts take precautionsBaltimore Gas and Electric said it’s monitoring the storm and has scheduled utility crews in preparation for service. BGE reminds customers to report outages at BGE.com, BGE’s app, text 69243 or call 877-778-2222.Ocean City Mayor Rich Meehan is among the decision-makers keeping a close eye on conditions and trying to stay one step ahead.”Things are pretty quiet right now. The wind is starting to pick up. We’re keeping an eye, obviously, on the storm as it moves, you know, towards us,” Meehan told 11 News early Friday. “I think going into late tonight through tomorrow afternoon is probably going to be the biggest part. Late afternoon tomorrow is going to be the biggest part of the storm that we’re going to experience.”The National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region of the American Red Cross is also preparing for the storm with teams on standby Friday in Baltimore, ready to deploy.”Our Baltimore team has already made contact with the volunteers, and they have folks ready to go to respond, if needed, and then, if needed, to go down to the Delmarva Peninsula, or out to the shore, where the impacts are likely to be greater,” said Dale Kunce, regional CEO with the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region of the Red Cross.”I think the message for everybody in the state, particularly, the Eastern Shore, then just over the other side of the (Chesapeake) Bay is just to be careful. Use common sense. And, hey, 24 hours, 36 hours from now, this will be gone. Let’s just let it ride through and be safe,” Meehan said.Emergency operations in Annapolis included the distribution Friday afternoon of sandbags at City Dock. City officials said downtown is expected to flood by 2 a.m. Saturday.”Most of the flooding will occur right here downtown. We can also expect some flooding down in Eastport as well. So, the usual spots that we see, so Dock Street, Susan Campbell Park, as well as Compromise Street,” said Nicole Torres, with the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management.Stay informed, understand the terminologyTropical storms and hurricanes each have two descriptors, a watch and a warning. Watches and warnings are issued in advance of the onset of tropical storm force winds (39-73 mph).WATCH: This means tropical storm or hurricane conditions are possible in the “watch area.” A watch is issued up to 48 hours in advance of the onset of tropical storm-force winds.WARNING: This means tropical storm or hurricane conditions are expected in the “warning area.” A warning is issued up to 36 hours in advance of the onset of tropical storm-force winds.Tropical Depression: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained surface winds of 38 mph or less.Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained surface winds ranging from 39-73 mph.Category 1 hurricane: Sustained winds of 74-95 mph — very dangerous winds will produce some damage.Category 2 hurricane: 96-110 mph winds — Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage. Near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last from several days to weeks.Category 3 major hurricane: 111-129 mph winds — Devastating damage will occur. Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes.Category 4 major hurricane: 130-156 mph winds — Catastrophic damage will occur. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.Category 5 major hurricane: 157 mph winds or higher — Catastrophic damage will occur. A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.Hurricane season can be a daunting time of year if you live in a hurricane-prone region like the Mid-Atlantic. A single hurricane making landfall can leave a trail of devastation, especially in the most flood-prone areas of Baltimore.While it’s rare for an actual hurricane (that is, a storm with sustained winds above 74 mph) to make landfall in Baltimore, it’s not uncommon for the remnants of one to bring storm surges, heavy rainfall and high winds, which can be plenty destructive. (The most recent hurricanes to cause major damage in Maryland were Irene in 2011 and Isabel in 2003.) Low-lying areas of the city — such as Mount Washington, Clipper Mill and Fells Point — are particularly vulnerable to flooding.How to prepare for hurricanesHere are some of the most important hurricane preparedness recommendations for homeowners in Florida and in other hurricane-prone states.Know your zoneThe Maryland Department of Emergency Management makes it easy to know if you need to evacuate during a hurricane or tropical storm. Visit KnowYourZoneMD.com and enter your address to find out what evacuation zone you live in (they’re color-coded and labeled either A, B or C).During severe weather, you’ll then receive instructions on whether to evacuate or shelter in place. The highest risk areas will be evacuated first, followed by lower risk zones, if needed. (Note that even if you don’t live in one of the three official zones, you might still need to evacuate, depending on the weather situation.)Know your evacuation routeBefore or during a hurricane, you might be ordered to evacuate your home. Find out the locations of your closest shelters and figure out how you will get to them. While Baltimore does not designate specific evacuation routes, you can plan ahead by looking up alternative driving routes. If possible, keep a map in your vehicle so you can redirect yourself on the fly, if necessary.Store and collect suppliesMake sure you have enough food, water and medical supplies for each family member to last at least two or three days. Your hurricane supply kit should also be stocked with a radio, extra batteries, a flashlight, space blankets and important documents.Don’t forget your petsYour pets are important members of the family, and they need to be taken care of during an emergency. Learn which shelters do and don’t accept pets. Or, you can consider a pet-friendly hotel that’s outside the evacuation zone.Download the FEMA mobile appFEMA’s mobile app has many disaster resources, including safety tips and weather alerts. It also has a checklist of emergency supplies and shelters and will keep you updated with real-time alerts from the National Weather Service.Protect your homeOnce you’ve made your emergency plan and assembled your emergency kit, it’s time to prepare your home. While this list can feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be done all at once. Instead, start working your way through the list now, and check off items once completed.Landscaping — Replace gravel or stone garden beds with lighter material that will not damage your property in high winds.Trees and shrubs — Remove any weak, dying, or damaged trees and branches which could break off in high winds and crash into your house.Windows — Consider installing storm shutters to prevent window glass from breaking. Plywood sheets can also be used in a pinch.Doors — Think about swapping your current doors for hurricane-proof doors with three hinges and a deadbolt. Ideally, glass sliding doors should be made of tempered glass and protected by storm shutters or plywood.Garage doors — Ensure your garage or roller doors are in good working condition and locked securely.Vents and wall openings — Fill any vents or exterior holes with high-quality urethane-based caulk to prevent water penetration.Boats — If you keep a boat in your yard, anchor your boat securely to a tree or the ground before the storm arrives.Insurance coverageIf you live in an area that experiences hurricanes and tropical storms, it’s important to have the right insurance coverage. Tap here to see some types of insurance that will cover your home and your personal belongings in the event of a major storm.