Dozens of cars submerged at BWI long-term parking

WASHINGTON — Dozens of cars parked in Baltimore-Washintgon International Thurgood Marshall Airport’s long-term lot were submerged in water on Tuesday after record flooding in the region.

Between 50 and 100 vehicles parked in the A and B lots at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport were at least partially submerged by Tuesday afternoon, the airport estimates.

Pictures showed the water level waist high or more in some places.

“This is very unusual,” said Whitney Kidd, an airport spokesperson. “We normally do not have this amount of flooding.”

She’s right.

At BWI, 6.3 inches of rain fell, breaking the airport’s last record of 4.91 inches of rain set Aug. 12, 1955. The highest total recorded for Baltimore in a single day occurred during a 1933 hurricane and measured 7.6 inches.

Eileen Whelan, an ABC7 meteorologist, said if the rain at BWI had been snow, it could have equaled 5 feet. While snow to rain ratios vary, on average, every inch of rain would add up to 10 inches of snow.

Because of the very nature of traveling, it is unlikely that BWI passengers knew their vehicles were flooded.

BWI recommended that drivers who observe flood damage get on the phone quickly.

“We have a number you can call, our MAA (Mutual Assurance Administrators) office,” Kidd said.

That number is 410-859-7777.

Kidd said that call shouldn’t preclude a call to a personal insurer.

“You should probably call both, just to make a claim with your own insurance and with us,” she said.

It was not clear Tuesday afternoon what, if any, coverage the airport would have for flood-damaged vehicles.

Parking in the lots costs $8 per day.

Related Story:

• Baltimore rainfall highest since 1933

Follow @WTOP on Twitter and on the WTOP Facebook page.