Update: Power Outages Hit WSSC

Update, 5:47 a.m.: An undetermined amount of diluted sewage is overflowing the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission's Western Treatment Plant because of overnight power outages, the WSSC said Sunday morning.

Generators are providing some power to the plant, at 6600 Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro, but it is not fully operational, the WSSC said. The WSSC provides drinking water and treats wastewater for Montgomery and Prince George's counties. 

In a release, WSSC said the Broad Creek Wastewater Pumping Station at 10315 Livingston Road in Fort Washington continues to fully operate on generators after losing power about 10 p.m. Saturday. The pumping station continues to overflow as a result of the excessive rain. It is unclear at this point how much diluted sewage is overflowing.

Power was restored to the Piscataway Wastewater Treatment Plant at 11 Farmington Road in Accokeek about 2 a.m. The facility lost power about 10 p.m. Saturday. An undetermined amount of diluted sewage overflowed while the plant was without power.

Notifications have been made to the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Prince George’s County Health Department. WSSC crews will post signs in the area once it is safe to be outside.

WSSC's two water filtration plants continue to operate. 

A number of other water and wastewater pumping stations throughout the WSSC system are also without power at this hour, the system said.

Update, 9:47 p.m.: In his update, Gov. Martin O'Malley said a tornado was sighted in Wicomico County, on the Eastern Shore. No one was injured.

Update, 9:15 p.m.: Prince George's County could receive up to 6 inches of rain from Hurricane Irene, according to Topper Shutt, chief meteorologist for Washington D.C.'s WUSA9.

But areas like Loudon County (VA) could only receive 1 inch of rain, Shutt said.

"I don’t see it anymore than 30–50 [mph winds]" Shutt added. "Although there has been a 50 mph wind [gust] already."

Shutt expects the hurricane to reach Ocean City around 2 a.m.

Update, 9:03 p.m.: A tornado may have touched down in Lewes, DE, according to the Philadelphia CBS station. More than a dozen homes were damaged in the incident.

Update, 8:53 p.m.: More than 100,000 Marylanders are without power, according to The Weather Channel.

About 14,000 people have already lost power in New Jersey and 700,000 are without power in Virginia.

Update, 8:46 p.m.: Sustained winds have reached 40–49 mph at the Key Bridge in Baltimore, the Maryland Department of Transportation reported.

Update, 8:41 p.m.: More than 68,000 Maryland BGE and Pepco customers are without power, more than 42,000 of them in Anne Arundel County.

Update, 8:24 p.m.: Gusts at the Chespeake Bridge are reaching 80 mph, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.

Anne Arundel County emergency services are reporting many trees down and roads closed. More than 40,000 BGE customers are without power in Anne Arundel County.

Update, 7:41 p.m.: The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is closed due to high winds, the Maryland Department of Transportation tweeted.

Update, 7:25 p.m.: The waves were crashing deep onto the Ocean City shore within the last hour, according to ABC2News' Justin Berk, who is working from the beach.

This despite the worst part of the storm being about five hours from Maryland. Southern Maryland has received about six inches of rain—a total that could double by the end of the night, Berk said.

The Baltimore meteorologist does not expect the eye wall to make landfall in Maryland, though winds have already reached 45 mph.

Capital Weather reported storm surges as high as 4 feet in the Chesapeake Bay.

Update, 7:14 p.m.: Wind gusts reached 71 mph in Richmond during the 6 p.m. hour, The Weather Channel reported.

More updates below.

HEADLINES

MSNBC: Six Dead as Hurricane Irene Edges Into Virginia

Charlotte Observer: Irene triggers flooding along N.C. coast

Richmond Times Dispatch: UPDATE: Virginia coast could face 8-foot storm surge

Washington Post: Hurricane Irene churns up East Coast

TORNADO WATCH

Maryland counties: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING

Maryland counties: Baltimore, Harford, Montgomery, Howard, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Charles and Calvert.

Virginia: Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania and King George counties and Falls Church and Alexandria.

Washington, D.C.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH

Maryland Areas: Anne Arundel, Calvert, Carroll, Charles, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties andWestminster, Columbia, Baltimore, Annapolis, Waldorf and St. Mary's City.

Virginia: Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania and King George counties and Manassas, Manassas Park, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Falls Church and Alexandria.

Washington, D.C.

MARYLAND SHELTERS

POWER

EMERGENCY INFORMATION PHONE NUMBERS

Jurisdiction

Number

Maryland (MEMA)

410-517-5135

301-352-1290

REPORTED DEATHS: 6

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Update, 7:01 p.m.: The Weather Channel is reporting that Hurricane Irene is moving north-northeast at 16 mph. Winds are as high as 80 mph.

Update, 6:55 p.m.: Nearly 40,000 BGE and Pepco customers in Maryland are without power, including about 12,000 in Prince George's County and more than 10,000 in Anne Arundel County.

Update, 6:29 p.m.: Washington EMS is reporting via Twitter "several dozen wires and/or trees down."

Update, 6:28 p.m.: Beaufort, NC, received more than 14 inches of rain, Weather Underground reported.

Update, 6:21 p.m.: The Maryland Transit Administration has announced it will temporarily suspended all light rail service beginning at 9 p.m.

Maryland Emergency Management Agency Twitter: "We expect widespread power outages."

More updates below.

HEADLINES

MSNBC: Six Dead as Hurricane Irene Edges Into Virginia

Charlotte Observer: Irene triggers flooding along N.C. coast

Richmond Times Dispatch: UPDATE: Virginia coast could face 8-foot storm surge

Washington Post:Hurricane Irene churns up East Coast

Update, 5:33 p.m.: Capital Weather reported via Twitter that about 600,000 people are without power in Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.

Update, 5:25 p.m.: “We do anticipate widespread damage," Gov. Martin O'Malley said at a press conference Saturday evening.

The heaviest rain and winds are anticipated to arrive around midnight.

As conditions worsen, the State Highway Administration issued the following caution.

“The best plan for tonight is staying home allowing emergency crews from transportation agencies and utility companies to respond to the storm,” SHA Acting Administrator Darrell B. Mobley said. “SHA crews will work throughout the night reacting to Irene’s effects.”

Update, 5:02 p.m.: Hurricane Irene has sustained winds of 79 mph, according to Weather Undergound. The storm is moving north-northeast at 11–13 mph.

"This is full-on tropical storm," Justin Berk of ABC2News said in this video from Ocean City.

Update, 4:58 p.m.: Wind gusts have reached 60 mph in Ocean City—at least seven hours before the eye of the storm passes, according to a tweet from ABC2News' meteorologist Justin Berk.

Update, 4:51 p.m.: Most of the heavy rain will be east of Interstate 95, but meteorologist Howard Bernstein of WUSA9 in Washington D.C. said that won't slow down the wind.

"We’re going to be getting into the heart of the storm and highest winds here [soon]," Bernstein told Patch. "[I'm] still expecting the storm to pull away early Sunday morning, maybe by sunrise."

Bernstein said there are already reports of trees down in the District of Columbia with even more in southern Maryland and Virginia. He still expects winds to sustain at 30 to 40 mph during the storm, with gusts as high as 50 mph.

Update, 4:42 p.m.: BGE and Pepco are reporting more than 20,000 statewide power outages.

Update, 4:36 p.m.: Tractor trailers are now prohibited from crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Key Bridge in Baltimore and Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (Route 301) have been placed under a "wind warning."

Gusts are as strong as 39 mph, according to MDOT.

4:28 p.m. Six deaths are now being reported by MSNBC as a result of Hurricane Irene.

The latest two involved an 11-year-old Virginia boy and a Florida surfer.

4:18 p.m. Water is as high as 20 inches on roads in Columbia, NC., according to The Weather Channel.

FOX News reported that about 438,000 people are without power in North Carolina.

Update, 4 p.m.: Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III declared a “local state of emergency” just before 3 p.m. The move makes the county eligible for state and federal aid.

“Due to the potential impact of Hurricane Irene on Prince George’s County, I signed a ‘Local State of Emergency’ allowing the County to be eligible for State and federal aid,” Baker said in a statement. “I ask all citizens to stay inside, pay attention to the news, and have an emergency kit in case the power fails."

There was already been one water main break in the area, but the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, serving Montgomery and Prince George’s counties has, completed preparations for the storm.

The commission has filled its water and chemical storage tanks, prepped generators at necessary locations and brought extra staff into its control center and emergency dispatch center.

Update, 3:43 p.m.: In Ocean City, ABC2News' Justin Berk said winds are sustaining at 35 to 40 mph.

"The wind was so strong, the carousel and the Ferris wheel were actually turning by themselves," Berk said. "It was just eerie to hear the metal kind of squeaking by itself."

The meteorologist said he still expects most of Maryland to receive 2 to 6 inches of rain.

"It almost looks like the eye might be [moving] a little bit east," said Berk, who is working from the Hilton hotel in Ocean City. "The biggest [storm surge] will be in the lower portion of the Chesapeake."

Berk said to expect water to rise by as much as 4 feet in Annapolis.

"Winds are going to start increasing up there," he said. "You’re going to start seeing some pretty heavy stuff roll through up there at 5 p.m."

Wind gusts are reported as high as 62 mph in Virginia Beach, according to Weather Underground.

Update, 3:36 p.m.: Four people in North Carolina died Saturday as a result of Hurricane Irene, according to MSNBC, and President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Maryland some nine hours before the eye of the storm is scheduled to reach Ocean City.

The Category 1 hurricane has caused flight cancellations and additional evacuations along the East Coast. It is sustaining winds as strong as 85 mph.

Obama's declaration "authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts" for Baltimore, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties and Baltimore city.

In an interview with The Weather Channel, Gov. Martin O’Malley praised the federal aid to Maryland.

"This is a massive undertaking and people are really doing their jobs and doing it well," O'Malley said on The Weather Channel. "Everything in the preparation phase of this has gone very well. … Now we’re awaiting landfall ourselves."

A tornado watch is in effect for parts of Southern Maryland.

In Newport News, Va., one child died after a tree fell on a home, according to RVANews.com.

POWER

Update, 1:03 p.m.: Montgomery County government says it will open a shelter at Richard Montgomery High School at 4 p.m. today. The School is at 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville. Anyone needing shelter can bring medications, personal supplies, change of clothing or other items they may require with them, according to a news release.

Pets are not permitted at Richard Montgomery, though a pet shelter will also open at 4 p.m. today at Bauer Drive Community Center, 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville.

Update, 12:21 p.m.: Wind gusts topping 30 mph and heavier rains are hitting Ocean City as Hurricane Irene pounds the East Coast late Saturday morning.

It was about 50 miles west of Cape Hatteras just after 11 a.m., Capital Weather reported.

"The storm's starting to move up the coast and beginning to impact Ocean City," said Edward Hopkins, spokesman for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. "There's really been nothing significant over the last hour. … We're still continuing to ramp up."

Howard Bernstein, meteorologist for Washington D.C.'s WUSA9, said the storm could be shifting further west, bringing more inland rain.

ABC2News' meteorologist Justin Berk, who is working from the Hilton Hotel in Ocean City, still believes the Baltimore metro area will receive between 2–6 inches of rain.

"The waves are chopping up," Berk said. "We should all be in tropical storm conditions by this evening. ... It's just a matter of time."

An evacuation notice has been given for Calvert County, according to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency . Additionally, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel in southeast Virginia is closed, Capital Weather reported .

A tornado watch is in effect for "lower southern Maryland and portions of the Chesapeake Bay and lower tidal Potomac," including Ocean City, until 8 p.m.

Original post, 8:39 a.m.: Less than 24 hours before she is expected to reach Maryland, Hurricane Irene has made landfall on the Carolina coast.

The now-Category 1 storm recorded "sustained winds of 80 mph" near Jacksonville around 6:15 a.m. before hitting Cape Lookout, NC, a little more than an hour later, according to the Associated Press.

The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane warning for St. Mary’s County while a tropical storm warning has been given to Montgomery, Prince George's, Harford, Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel, Charles and Calvert counties, along with the District of Columbia and jurisdictions in Virginia.

Howard Bernstein, meteorologist for the District of Columbia's WUSA9, predicts wind gusts between 40–60 mph when the eye of the storm reaches Maryland early Sunday. 

"Rain could be anywhere from 2–4 inches," Bernstein told Patch.

The storm was about 330 miles south of the District of Columbia as of 8 a.m.

"I would expect some power outages," said Bernstein, who cautioned against damage the high winds could cause. "If you have tall trees outside your house, don’t sleep upstairs."

Category 1 hurricanes are defined as having a central barometric pressure of 28.94 inches or more, winds of 74 to 95 mph and 4- to 5-foot storm surge while causing minimal damage. Irene had earlier in the week been a Category 3 storm, meaning winds up to 130 mph and storm surges as high as 12 feel while causing "extensive" damage.

Maryland Emergency Management Agency spokesman Edward Hopkins said the storm reaching land does not change the state’s preparedness.

"The fact that it's hit [in North Carolina], one of the things that's good about that, it allows us to see what's going on down there and if there's anything we haven't thought of or planned for," Hopkins told Patch. "That's not going to change our posture in how we deal with it. The storm is still going to pack a punch to Maryland."

AccuWeather reported storm surges as high as 8.5 feet on the Carolina coast at 7:30 a.m., around the same time rainfall from Irene's outer band reached Maryland and Delaware beaches.

The Weather Channel has issued an "extreme" threat level for Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland up through Harford County along with parts of southern Maryland. The threat level is considered "high" from Baltimore to the District of Columbia and "medium" or "low" in the far western parts of the state.

About 29 million people are under a hurricane warning, according to The Weather Channel.

"We're still planning for the worst-case scenario," Hopkins said.