Reuters
Flash floods tore through a city in Maryland on Sunday, as the Deep South braced for the first storm of hurricane season.
Floodwaters roared through the streets of downtown Ellicott City, Md., just west of Baltimore, after torrential rain and thunderstorm warnings. Two people were killed in the same city by devastating flooding in 2016.
“This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC situation,” the National Weather Service tweeted, urging residents to seek higher ground. No deaths or injuries had yet been reported, though the local fire department tweeted “Rescuers are in the water making rescues.”
In case it’s not clear yet, stay away from Main Street. Please. pic.twitter.com/FO1HFpYqMo
— Libby Solomon (@libsolomon) May 27, 2018
NEW VIDEO: 3:10pm on #EllicottCity Main Street via my sister Kali Harris. She is safe, but shaken. She has an evacuation plan if the building becomes compromised. @WJZDevin @FOXBaltimore @weatherchannel @CBSNews @wjz pic.twitter.com/CPZBrZcgrm
— Jeremy Harris (@JeremyHarrisTV) May 27, 2018
Meanwhile, the governors of Florida, Mississippi and Alabama declared states of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Alberto. The storm is expected to make landfall over the Florida Panhandle on Monday.
The National Hurricane Center said Friday that heavy rain and flooding is expected in western Cuba, the Florida Keys and south Florida, with 10 to 15 inches of rain in some places.
“The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded,” the National Hurricane Center said, warning also of a tornado risk in southwestern Florida.
Here's the latest information on Subtropical Storm #Alberto:
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) May 27, 2018
The storm has slowed down a bit and turned slightly toward the NNW. Heavy rain is likely across Florida, especially in the western panhandle. Rip currents are also likely along the panhandle beaches on #MemorialDay. pic.twitter.com/PP5NmatItv
Here are the 11 am EDT/10 am CDT Key Messages on #Alberto. Full advisory at https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/ozO6lIHliW
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) May 27, 2018
Wind warnings were in effect as far west as New Orleans, where residents were encouraged to “stay prepared and informed.”
Alberto is the first named storm of this year’s hurricane season, which doesn’t even officially start until June 1. Last week, hurricane researchers predicted at least 14 named storms this year, compared to the average of 11 per year since 1950.