WASHINGTON -- We've had some big flooding from tropical systems in the past that tracked west of our region. As the winds flow counter clockwise around a hurricane, those winds create a storm surge that comes right up into the Chesapeake Bay. The bay is also thinner as you go north so as that surge moves northward it has no room to go but up.
Hurricane Hazel in 1954 produced a major surge and also produced the highest ever wind gust in DC at 1958.
Isabel hit in 2003 and brought tremendous flooding to Baltimore, Annapolis and even into DC.
In 1933, the great Chesapeake Bay Storm not only brought a big surge up the Bay, but it cut the Ocean City inlet.
Florence is expected to track much farther south and west and have minimal impacts in our region.
