HANOVER, Md. (August 20, 2026) — The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) is advising Marylanders to be alert and to prepare ahead of severe thunderstorms which are forecast to develop this afternoon and throughout the evening. According to The National Weather Service numerous thunderstorms are anticipated to develop along the eastern Appalachian region early this afternoon. The storms’ intensity and coverage will increase across the eastern half of the State through the evening hours.
Main threats:
- Damaging wind gusts
- Chance for frequent lightning
- Brief heavy rains
- Sporadic hail
- Possibility of a tornado or two.
Because peak storm intensity and coverage will directly coincide with the afternoon and evening commute—particularly between 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM EDT—travel conditions across central and eastern Maryland, including the greater Washington, D.C. area, could deteriorate quickly.
What to expect:
- Brief heavy downpours and localized urban flooding threaten to cause sudden water accumulation on major commuter corridors including I-95, I-495, I-695, and I-70.
- Damaging wind gusts could down trees and power lines, resulting in road closures and unlit traffic signals.
MDEM strongly advises commuters to adjust travel plans by departing early before storms arrive or delaying travel until storm activity tapers off late this evening. Drivers encountering unlit intersections should treat them as four-way stops and remain cautious overnight as patchy fog creates lingering low-visibility hazards.
Marylanders are also encouraged to install the MdReady WebApp, which gives instant access to a wide array of emergency notifications and preparedness information to residents and visitors alike. To install the new WebApp, users can visit MdReady.maryland.gov and follow the prompt to easily add the MdReady shortcut to a mobile device home screen.
For more information, residents can also go to MDEM’s website at mdem.maryland.gov, and follow MDEM’s social media feeds X (Twitter) (@MDMEMA), Facebook (facebook.com/MDMEMA), Linkedin (linkedin.com/company/maryland-department-of-emergency-management), Threads (threads.net/@mdmema) and Bluesky (@mdmema.bsky.social).
