Harford County School, Road Closures On March 2 2018

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Schools are closing early in Harford County on Friday, March 2. The announcement came around noon, about an hour and a half following the decision to cancel after-school activities.

Harford County Public Schools will dismiss one hour early on Friday, March 2. Afternoon prekindergarten and alternative education programs are canceled. In addition, all after-school and evening activities are canceled on Friday, March 2. That includes school-sponsored and community-sponsored events on school property as well as field trips.

Harford Community College and Towson University in Northeastern Maryland will close at 3 p.m. due to weather conditions. Call 443-412-2322 for more details.

The Edgewood and Darlington branches of the Harford County Public Library are closed on Friday, March 2, due to power outages.

Trains along the northeast corridor are suspended temporarily due to weather-related issues, according to Amtrak.

Harford County is under a high wind warning until 6 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, along with much of the Baltimore-Washington region. Gusts may reach 60 mph, with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Several roads have been closed due to debris, area bridges are under restrictions and power outages have been reported in the region.

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Road Closures

Transportation officials said that the following roads were closed in and around Harford County:

• 3200 block of Rocks Road closed for tree across the road (MD 24)
• East Jarrettsville Road is completely closed in the 400 block
• MD 7 closed in both directions at Old Mountain Road due to a downed tree
• US 1 closed at Allibone Road
• US 1 north at Vale Road
• US 40 at Hatem Bridge
• MD 7 at Joppa Road
• MD 22 at Prospect Mill Road
• MD 147 at Mountain Road
• MD 161 at Springhill Drive (northbound open)
• I-95 at Tydings Bidge closed
• Revolution Street closed at South Juniata Street for arcing wires
• MD 924 REOPENED between MacPhail and Idlewild for wires in the road

In Havre de Grace, "many city roadways are also severely congested due to the I-95 closure," the Susquehanna Hose Company reported at approximately 12:15 p.m. "If you do not need to be out, please refrain from traveling."

In Bel Air, police said that multiple intersections near Main Street and MD 22 have been experiencing outages or interruptions. Drivers are to consider intersections where lights are out as four-way stops. Police may also be present, directing traffic and installing temporary stop signs.

Do you see other closures? Tell us in the comments!

SEE ALSO:

• Two Tractor Trailers Flip On Tydings Bridge In High Winds
• Roof Blows Off House In Havre de Grace, Officials Say

High Wind Warning

During the high wind warning, authorities have cautioned people about dangerous driving conditions, flying projectiles that could injure pedestrians, power resulting from fallen tree limbs and broken windows from airborne debris.

Harford County's Department of Emergency Services said outages were increasing and so were downed trees and power lines.

There were more than 5,300 Delmarva Power customers with outages in Harford County, while 125 BGE customers in Harford County were also experiencing outages as of 10:40 a.m.

The National Weather Service said in a special weather statement that residents should remain in the lower levels of their homes during the storm and avoid windows during the windstorm.

The state of Maryland is on liberal leave. Schools in Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties and Baltimore City are closed on Friday. Cecil County schools are letting out early.

How To Prepare For The Windstorm

• Get your emergency kit in order. Plan for at least three days of supplies. Recommended items to include are bottled water, non-perishable food, battery-operated radio, flashlight, extra batteries, toiletries, first aid kit, pet food, prescription medications and copies of important documents (i.e., insurance policies, bank accounts, identification).
• Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting in anticipation of a power outage. Open the door only when necessary and close it quickly. Frozen food in a half-full freezer should remain safe for up to 24 hours, and in a full freezer, up to 48 hours.
• Use flashlights and battery-powered lanterns for light. Avoid using candles, which pose a fire risk.
• Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as personal cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill a bathtub or other large container with the water. This is particularly important for those whose water runs off of an electrical system.
• Stay indoors and limit travel only to absolutely necessary trips. Allow emergency crews to clear roads and provide emergency assistance.
• Use care around downed power lines. Assume a downed wire is a live wire.
• Watch out for overhead hazards such as broken tree limbs, wires and other debris.
• Keep backup generators well ventilated. Never use grills, generators or camping stoves indoors.

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