Local
Josephine brings high surf and minor flood risk to Maryland coast
Subtropical Storm Josephine was about 300 miles east of Ocean City on Wednesday, generating waves up to 10 feet and above-normal tides along the Maryland coast. Forecasters expect the storm to move farther out to sea, but minor coastal flooding could persist through Friday.
Subtropical Storm Josephine was strengthening offshore Wednesday, bringing large waves to Ocean City while forecasters said the system was expected to move farther out to sea and spare Maryland from tropical-storm conditions.
The storm’s center was about 300 miles east of Ocean City, according to the National Hurricane Center. A cold front moving in from the Great Lakes is expected to push Josephine away from the coast for the rest of the week.
Waves of 7 to 10 feet were expected to continue at Ocean City through Thursday. Tides could remain above normal through Friday, creating a risk of minor coastal flooding, including along some shores of the Chesapeake Bay.
Baltimore was not expected to experience tropical-storm conditions. Winds there were forecast to remain breezy, at about 10 to 15 mph, while skies across much of Maryland were expected to stay sunny.
Josephine is not expected to become a fully tropical storm, though its winds could reach 75 to 80 mph on Thursday and Friday as it moves offshore. The National Hurricane Center classifies a storm as subtropical when it has a mix of tropical and non-tropical features. Josephine has begun organizing thunderstorms near its center but also retains a broad low-pressure structure and a warm front.
Subtropical systems can still produce impacts similar to tropical storms. For Maryland’s coast, the immediate concerns are rough surf and elevated tides rather than strong winds or widespread rain.