WASHINGTON — A state of emergency is in effect for Virginia and part of Maryland ahead of Tropical Storm Hermine’s arrival.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Friday declared a state of emergency in the commonwealth and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency for parts of the state, including some counties in the WTOP listening area.
The state of emergency impacts Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland.
The storm, which is barreling up the East Coast from Florida, has the potential to bring heavy rain through eastern North Carolina and into the Virginia Beach area. The tropical storm also could regenerate into a hurricane by the time it reaches the Delmarva Peninsula Sunday or Monday.
The storm could cause severe flooding, downed trees and power outages.
Virginia
“We’re preparing for major storm surges in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, the Hampton Roads and all the way up the middle peninsula on the Chesapeake Bay,” McAuliffe told WTOP.
McAuliffe urged vacationers to delay traveling to Virginia’s beaches until Saturday. The forecast and track of the storm could still change and head out to sea. But if the track holds, holiday beachgoers could find themselves surrounded by high water and intense winds, he said.
“If you don’t need to go today, don’t go. I think tomorrow we’ll have a much better idea of which track this storm will take,” McAuliffe told WTOP.
McAuliffe also urged residents to limit travel and evacuate if recommended by officials.
Forecasters predict waves as high as 8 feet and storm surges up to 4 feet this weekend. Ten inches of rain could also pour down over the course of two days, McAuliffe said.
As part of the response, the state has sent 270 members of the National Guard to Hampton Roads to prepare for flooding and power outages. Low-lying cities such as Norfolk and Virginia Beach are often plagued with flooding and are increasingly vulnerable to rising sea levels.
For information about preparing for the severe coastal weather and Hermine, visit Virginia’s Emergency Management website.
Counties and cities from Hampton Roads through the Northern Neck and Virginia’s portion of the Delmarva Peninsula are all under a Tropical Storm Warning.
Maryland
In Maryland, several of the counties under the state of emergency also are under a Tropical Storm Warning: St. Mary’s, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester.
“I strongly encourage Marylanders to pay close attention to this storm system and, if appropriate, to start preparing for potential flooding or any other possible hazards,” Gov. Hogan said in a statement.
Hogan has directed state agencies such as Maryland Emergency Management Agency to be at the ready should it need to support its residents.
On Friday evening, Ocean City, Maryland, banned residents and visitors from swimming at the city’s beaches in anticipation of the storm’s arrival, the city’s mayor told WTOP.
In addition to the state of emergency for part of the state, it has issued a notice warning of a possibly hazardous Labor Day weekend, which could see coastal and tidal flooding from the storm.
“Residents and visitors to the Eastern Shore should pay extra attention – tropical storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly,” a statement from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency said.
The Associated Press and WTOP’s Amanda Iacone contributed to this report.
