Tropical Storm — Dorchester, Maryland

2003-09-18 to 2003-09-19 · Dorchester, Maryland

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Isabel produced tropical storm force sustained winds and wind gusts over the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore. Isabel made landfall near Ocracoke Inlet in North Carolina, tracked northwest into central Virginia just west of Richmond, then continued northward into western Pennsylvania. The highest sustained wind speed recorded was 45 mph at Cambridge Maryland in Dorchester county. Other sustained wind speeds were 41 mph at Ocean City (OXB), and 37 mph at Salisbury (SBY). The highest gusts recorded were 62 mph at Hurlock in Dorchester county, 60 mph at Ocean Pines in Worcester county, and 57 mph at Cambridge. Approximately several thousand persons were evacuated and housed in numerous shelters across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore. The unusually large wind field uprooted many thousands of trees, downed many power lines, damaged hundreds of houses, and snapped thousands of telephone poles and cross arms. Hundreds of roads, including major highways, were blocked by fallen trees. Local power companies reported many thousands of customers were without power. Ocean City water levels peaked at around 6.5 feet MLLW. Storm surge values near 8 feet were reported in the Hoopers Island area, with 4 to 5 foot surge values reported on the Wicomico and Nanticoke Rivers. The lowest sea level pressure recorded was 1003 mb at Cambridge Maryland. Isabel will be remembered for the greatest wind and storm surge in the region since Hazel in 1954, and the 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane. Also, Isabel will be remembered for the extensive power outages across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore, and permanent change to the landscape from all the fallen trees and storm surge. Rainfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore. Inland flooding due to heavy rainfall occurred over parts of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore. Eight deaths can be directly attributed to Isabel in the Wakefield area of responsibility, with 0 in Lower Maryland. There were more than 15 deaths indirectly attributed to the storm.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5370986. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.