Storm Aftermath: Isaias’ Impact On Anne Arundel County

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Tropical Storm Isaias battered Anne Arundel County Tuesday. Though the storm's rain and wind were strong, it caused minimal water damage.

Preliminary data shows that Isaias dumped nearly 6 inches of rain in some areas of the county. The storm drenched Cape St. Claire with 5.75 inches of rain, the National Weather Service says. According to the report, Odenton got 3.32 inches. Towns along and east of the Interstate 95 corridor felt the heaviest downpour.

Anne Arundel County was under an assortment of warnings, ranging from flash flood to tornado. Forecasters said low-lying areas could have seen 1 to 2 feet of flooding, but the storm surge was largely harmless.

Strong winds proved to be the more widespread concern. Tropical storm force winds ripped throughout the county, reaching 50 mph in some places.

High wind speeds disrupted traffic in Annapolis. The Maryland Transportation Authority shut down the Bay Bridge after winds topped 55 mph. Both spans of the bridge reopened around 12:45 p.m. after a three-hour closure.

The breeze proved too much for some trees, toppling power lines and closing roads. Downed power lines, fallen trees and occasional floods closed 44 roadways across the county.

Some of the most notable closures include Defense Highway in Annapolis, Mountain Road in Pasadena and Mayo Road in Edgewater. An updated road condition tracker is available here.

Winds must reach at least 39 mph for a system to be considered a tropical storm. Sustained winds of 74 mph or more draw a hurricane categorization. Storms with winds 38 mph or weaker are called tropical depressions.

The gusts interrupted the local power supply, as Anne Arundel County registered the most power outages in the state. County Executive Steuart Pittman said more than 17,000 residences lost power on Tuesday.

About 6,350 households were still without electricity by 10 p.m. That's about 3 percent of the county's residences.

More than 79,000 Maryland homes lost power during the storm. Electricity has been restored to about half of those affected, but 28,121 residences were still powerless when this article was last updated.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company said it restored power to 19,000 people by 1 p.m. Partnering with parent company affiliates and local contractors, BGE has 2,000 employees working to address outages, modernize infrastructure and trim trees around power lines.

BGE says its top priorities are critical facilities like 911 call centers, hospitals and pumping stations. After that, the company will focus on bringing electricity back to the most number of people as quickly as possible. BGE will also consider those who have been without power the longest in their recovery plans.

The electric company says its crews will follow social distancing regulations while working and resting. BGE asks everyone to maintain a safe distance from their workers.

BGE reminds its customers to follow these safety tips:

• Always stay away from any storm damaged electrical equipment, especially downed power lines and tree limbs that may come into contact with power lines.
• Check on elderly neighbors and relatives.
• Don't connect your generator directly to your home's wiring. Never use a generator indoors or in an attached garage. Read and adhere to the manufacturer's instructions for safe operation.

To report an outage or downed wire, customers should call 1-877-778-2222. Customers can also report an outage by texting "OUT" to MYBGE (69243).

Residents can track or report their outages through the company’s mobile app or website at bge.com. BGE’s interactive map also provides information about outages and estimates how quickly power may be restored.

"We appreciate our customers’ patience and the efforts of our employees who are working as quickly as is safely possible to restore service under very challenging conditions," Carim Khouzami, chief executive officer of BGE, said in a press release.

The storm traveled through the mid-Atlantic Tuesday afternoon and reached New England by the evening. It is moving northeast at about 40 mph and has sustained winds of about 50 mph. The National Hurricane Center expects Isaias to weaken to a tropical depression and reach Canada by Wednesday morning.

"Tropical Storm Isaias has now moved out of our area, but we are still seeing its lingering effects," Pittman said in a Tweet. "More than 17,000 county households are without power, and dozens of county roads remain closed due to fallen trees or flooding. Please continue to be safe as we focus on recovery."

RELATED:

• 29K Without Power, 1 Dead After Isaias Swipes MD
• Anne Arundel Power Outages: Latest Updates
• 2 Feet Of Flooding possible When Isaias Reaches Anne Arundel
• Traffic Held On Bay Bridge As Tropical Storm Isaias Hits MD
• Officials Activate Anne Arundel Emergency Operations Center
• Annapolis Prepares For Tropical Storm Isaias

Maryland Patch Editors Kristin Danley-Greiner and Elizabeth Janney contributed reporting to this article. This article was last updated on Tuesday at 10:25 p.m.

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.