Powerful Storms Move Through Maryland
WESTMINSTER, Md. (WJZ)—Much of Maryland was soaked after a wild and powerful storm. In Carroll County, there's lots of washed out roads. Clouds are still lingering over our region, and there is a possibility of more rain Thursday evening.
Alex DeMetrick has more on the storm.
It was indeed a wild wake-up for much of Maryland on Thursday morning, as a band of powerful thunderstorms rolled through the state.
Ominous clouds and ominous warnings delivered heavy bands of rain and strong gusts of wind through Frederick and Carroll counties. In Westminster, a powerful blast roared between two houses, tearing up trees.
"It was dark clouds, and the winds were picking up. It looked like a tornado," said Kelly Horner, of Westminster.
It was about 8 a.m. when Peter Heim, of Westminster, was in the kitchen and something caught his eye outside.
"All you saw was trees coming down," said Heim. "It was black. You couldn't see nothing. It was so loud. I was screaming for my mom and everybody to get down to the basement."
While wind damage was spotty, heavy rain was widespread. Along with tornado warnings from the National Weather Service, there were flash flood warnings.
Waterways like Sams Creek at the Frederick County/Carroll County border swelled outside their banks. Next to the Potomac River, storm drains backed up, forcing some road closures and flooding a lumberyard.
A sudden rise in water triggered a handful of rescues by motorists cut off by water too deep to safely cross. High winds caused a danger to livestock, even carrying a cow downstream.
"The cow was floating down the stream doing the doggie paddle," said Ted Lau, of New Windsor. "It got on to the other side and got back up."
In terms of damage, losses went relatively light given the intensity of what barreled through Thursday morning.
"I do notice there is a path that just missed our house by the grace of God," said Michelle Heim.
Police in the county have forwarded photos of the damage to the National Weather Service, which will make the determination if it was a strong gust of wind or if indeed a tornado did come by.
