WASHINGTON– Hurricane Joaquin and days of potential rain have Ocean City, Maryland, bracing for floods.
“We are certainly all on alert,” says Rick Meehan, the mayor of Ocean City.
Meehan says the rain on Thursday and the impending Hurricane Joaquin have him concerned. He says the first storm is expected to drop 5 inches of rain before it is finished.
Normally the water in the bays would flow back out with high tide, but a hurricane could create a storm surge that prevents that from happening, causing the water to overflow, Meehan said.
Ahead of the possible flooding, the Inlet parking lot will be closed at midnight on Thursday. All gates to the boardwalk have also been closed as the city anticipates rising waters.
All departments in the city have begun checking off tasks on their storm preparation lists, which Meehan says includes gassing up city vehicles and picking up any items that could become airborne with high wind. Essential city staff have been placed on standby for the weekend.
Meehan said all beachside events this weekend have been canceled. He expects other events in the city will also be called off as the storm nears.
Meehan says the city has been in this situation before and city officials will do what needs to be done to stay on top of the storms.
As of Thursday evening, the path of the hurricane has veered east, possibly eliminating much of the threat to the region.
Stay with WTOP’s weather blog for the latest information.
