As Hurricane Dorian churns east of the Georgia coast, the National Hurricane Center posted watches that extended up to the Chesapeake Bay. After battering the Bahamas and whipping Florida’s eastern seaboard with tropical storm-force winds, the storm is likely to turn north and stay over the Carolinas Thursday through Friday morning. Maryland may feel the effects of the storm late Thursday night into Friday, according to the forecast.
Five Maryland counties — Dorchester, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Wicomico and Worcester —are under a tropical storm watch, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency reported after 5 p.m. Wednesday. A tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions could occur within 48 hours. Tropical storm-force winds are defined as those 39 to 73 mph.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the Baltimore-Washington area before 4 p.m. Wednesday, stating damaging winds may hit northeastern and central Maryland Wednesday afternoon and evening, with more severe weather forecast in the days ahead.