… Strong winds, heavy rain, even slight potential for tornadoes seen …
baltimoresun.com
By Liz F. Kay, The Baltimore Sun
8:36 AM EST, February 28, 2011
The forecast for severe storms moving across the Baltimore area Monday afternoon includes bad news for umbrellas.
The storms were expected to hit the region between noon and early afternoon, bringing downpours and damaging wind gusts, along with a slight potential for tornadoes, said Carrie Larsen, a meteorologist intern in the National Weather Service’s Sterling, Va., office.
Tornado warnings were issued in western West Virginia due to the storms, associated with a cold front moving across the United States, she said. Residents were advised to pay attention to weather reports as the day progresses.
The storms could bring damaging wind gusts of up to 60 mph, mostly when coupled with downpours, Larsen warned. The combination could result in downdrafts. “They can be really damaging,” she said.
Temperatures will be on the warmer side, however, with highs in the upper 60s and possibly even into the low to mid-70s, Larsen said.
Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. spokeswoman Linda Foy said the utility company would be monitoring the weather.
“We are expecting rain and thunderstorms which could include high wind and cause possible interruptions in electric service,” she said.
By Sunday evening, BGE had finished restoring power to more than 93,000 customers affected by Friday’s windstorm.
The area most affected was Anne Arundel County, where more than 25,000 customers lost power. About 23,000 Baltimore County customers and 19,000 in Baltimore City were affected, according to BGE.
Copyright © 2011, The Baltimore Sun