Local emergency officials ran patrols through vulnerable neighborhoods as downpours sporadically lashed the area, and Red Cross representatives drove through Millers Island talking to residents about their preparations for remaining safe.
The caution seemed appropriate, as the bay — just feet from some homes — rose and fell dramatically and sent sprays of water deep into some backyards. The choppy waters were just one of many visible signs of the high winds rushing through the area.
Dave McWilliams, who lives on Second Street on the Back River side of Millers Island, said a number of his neighbors called him from work Tuesday afternoon to see how the neighborhood was fairing. He told them things remained under control, that the water was standing in certain areas prone to flooding but didn't seem to be creeping into higher ground.
"A lot of this is just surge from the waves, because the wave action is so heavy," he said, pointing to the standing water on Chesapeake Avenue.
Smith, whose home was virtually surrounded by water, said such September nights just come with the territory.
"It comes with the benefit we enjoy the whole summer living here," he said. "You get the good with the bad."
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At a Glance
•0.58 inches of rain and winds up to 47 mph at Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport as of 5 p.m.
•1.91 inches of rain at Hagerstown Regional Airport as of 5 p.m.
•Winds up to 61 mph at Washington's Reagan National Airport as of 5 p.m.
•More than 29,000 BGE customers lose power, with all but about 500 restored as of 7:30 a.m.
•After-school activities canceled in Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Harford counties
