Business owners near City Dock in Annapolis brace for Tuesday's storm impact
BALTIMORE - Annapolis is one of the areas in Maryland bracing for Tuesday's powerful storm, especially at flood-prone City Dock.
Heavy rain and damaging winds are expected from Tuesday afternoon through the evening.
"One of the city's greatest assets is that it is a city on the waterfront, but also it can be one of our greatest threats," Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said.
[Maryland Weather: ALERT DAY on Tuesday for high-impact Maryland storm]
Low-lying areas and the City Dock downtown are expected to get the brunt of the storm, especially businesses along Dock Street that flood often.
"I understand," Mills Fine Wine & Spirits Owner Jerry Donahoe said. "Several of the owners over there actually have their own pumps."
Many of those businesses were closed Monday.
Donahoe told WJZ that even though his store usually doesn't flood, he does have a plan.
"We do have sandbags in the back and things if we need it, but we very rarely get hit with any kind of flooding here, because we sit pretty high up," Donahoe said.
City and county leaders are taking several precautions and putting out warnings ahead of the storm.
Anne Arundel County Schools are closing two hours early on Tuesday. All after-school activities are also canceled.
Buckley says his team has been monitoring this system for days.
"Over three feet, we get flooding, but over four feet, it overcomes our short-term pumping system and fills this area where we're standing with water," Buckley said.
If there is flooding, Buckley expects Compromise Street, and other roads in the area to close, disrupting traffic from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday evening.
A sandbag station is now set up at City Dock for business and property owners. It is open from 7 a.m. to noon on Tuesday. You must be a city resident or business owner to get a sandbag.
The city is also asking that people be prepared for possible power outages and that boat owners check on their boats after each high tide.
Other reminders include checking gutters and storm drains for debris and securing loose objects.
The mayor is also asking people to stay indoors and avoid the flood waters, if possible.
