Flooding Possible In Annapolis Thursday: Officials

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A flood watch will go into effect Thursday at 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. for parts of Maryland with up to three inches of rain expected. Small streams and tributaries could flood, while moderate river flooding is also possible, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy rain is expected Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening. Rain totals are expected to be 1.5 to 2.5 inches, with up to 3 inches in some areas.

The Annapolis Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is monitoring the approaching heavy rainfall and extreme coastal flooding that may affect the Annapolis area later. Water levels could remain at or above moderate flood stage for several hours on Thursday before slowly subsiding on Friday.

Minor coastal flooding occurred Wednesday in Annapolis during high tide at 10:40 a.m. and could also occur beginning around high tide at 10:50 p.m. this evening and potentially continue through early Friday. This means water levels will likely be above 2.6 feet above MLLW (even during low tide) throughout the day on Thursday. However, the biggest concern is during high tides with water levels expected to surge well into the moderate flood stage (> 3.3 ft above MLLW).

During Thursday's high tide around 11:35 a.m., water levels between 4.0 and 4.5 feet above MLLW are forecast. During the evening high tide at 11:56 p.m., water levels between 3.3 and 3.6 feet above MLLW are forecast.

"Given the anomalously high rainfall totals over the last 10 days, this could result in both aerial flooding and flash flooding," the city stated.

At 3.5 feet, water reaches the floor of the Maritime Museum in Annapolis, begins to cover Bowyer Road on the Naval Academy campus, and numerous businesses on Dock Street are flooded, along with the City Dock parking lot. At 4.2 feet, the boardwalk at Annapolis City Dock is underwater. Floodwaters also are affecting numerous roads in Annapolis and on the Naval Academy Campus, along with structures throughout the neighboring area. Higher levels of flooding may impact Compromise Street and Newman Street. There could be a possibility of temporary road closures and alternate traffic patterns in affected areas. The potentially coincident timing of the heavy rainfall and coastal flooding could create groundwater, runoff, and drainage issues.