Rain

Warm, muggy weather is forecast for Friday until a front approaches bringing rain, storms and colder temperatures to the Baltimore area, according to the National Weather Service. Dew points reached the lower 60s Friday morning, making for air thick with humidity. Overnight lows reached the upper 50s, with fog and light rain early. Ahead of the front by Friday evening, thunderstorms with gusty winds are expected. Winds of 20-25 mph are forecast by the afternoon, with showers and storms starting to move in. The weather service expects a 100 percent chance of rain, with more than an inch of rainfall possible.

In regard to the "rain tax," Baltimore County Councilwoman Vicki Almond says, "I still don't like this bill, and I think there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered. " Councilman John A. Olszewski Sr. says "I don't like this bill. " Yet they both voted in favor of it ("Anger grows over stormwater fees," April 16). If you don't like it, why did you approve it? Another example of one party, if it exists we can tax it, government. Clay Seeley, Owings Mills Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

The Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce is member-driven, member-supported organization that has been the voice of business in Baltimore County since 1966. On behalf of our members, we have been following the impact of the stormwater fee legislation, passed by the state last year, which mandates Baltimore County to pass enabling legislation by July. A clean Chesapeake Bay is essential for all Marylanders and especially so for businesses in Baltimore County who depend on it for their livelihood.

I read with interest Del. Stephen Lafferty's attack on our councilman, David Marks, who is questioning the new stormwater tax required for Baltimore County residents. Lafferty's attack was a cheap shot. Like others, I am glad that Councilman Marks is standing up for Baltimore County residents who have endured tax after tax from nearly every level of government. The state legislature (run by Del. Lafferty's political party) has increased electricity taxes, gasoline taxes, titling taxes on cars, sales taxes - some 37 times during Lafferty's silent tenure.

More clouds and rain chances with highs in the lower 70s are forecast for the Baltimore area Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. A cold front was expected over Central Maryland, bringing chances for showers or thunderstorms west and south of the frontal boundary, according to the weather service. In the Baltimore area, rain chances were estimated at about 30 percent. Overnight lows were expected in the upper 50s. Slim rain chances could continue into Thursday morning, with mostly cloudy skies after that.

There has been much hue and cry in recent days about the General Assembly approving a "rain tax" this year that is punitive, anti-commerce and unnecessary. What's truly remarkable about these protestations is how none of the underlying claims are true. Rather, this may be a lesson in the perils of approving a policy at the state level but leaving the business of carrying it out to local government. It's far easier for county elected leaders to point a finger at Annapolis than to actually educate themselves on an issue - let alone try to explain why a tax is so clearly in their constituents' self-interest.

In your recent article praising the accomplishments of our governor and this year's legislative session you conveniently omitted the failure to delay implementation of the new "rain tax" that will be assessed on most residents ("Session ends in flurry of votes," April 9). This tax will amount to at least $100 on property tax bills in many jurisdictions. Satellite pictures of your property will be used to determine a resident's assessment. Not only is "Big Brother" watching you, but now he is taxing you for what he sees.

Several crashes slowed the Baltimore area's morning commute Friday as motorists navigated heavy rain. A single-vehicle crash in Anne Arundel County closed the shoulder of the inner loop of Interstate 695 at Route 295 as of 7:20 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Also, in Harford County, a two-vehicle collision closed the shoulder of southbound Interstate 95 near the exit for Route 152 as of 7:52 a.m., officials said. Luke.Broadwater@baltsun.com Twitter.com/lukebroadwater

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday's 43-minute rain delay was too long to allow starter Jake Arrieta to continue his outing when the game resumed in the sixth inning. Instead, he went to right-hander Tommy Hunter, who struck out the first two batters he faced, then gave up back-to-back solo homers to Daniel Nava and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. “It would have been around 50 minutes before he threw his first pitch,” Showalter said of Arrieta. “I think that was a little too much, especially with the weather and the time of the year.

A recently published study led by U.S. government climate researchers predicts warming global temperatures will mean more moisture in the air, and thus heavier precipitation extremes. The research, reported in the peer-reviewed academic journal Geophysical Research Letters, called the conclusions " the most scientifically sound projection. " "Climate model simulations indicate a substantial future increase in mean and maximum water vapor concentrations," they wrote in the abstract of the study . For the northern hemisphere, that could mean a 20-30 percent increase in a statistic known as "maximum possible precipitation" over the next century under current greenhouse gas emissions growth rates.