Hagerstown, Md. – Urban streets, rural roads, and streamside communities across western Maryland, the Shenandoah Valley, and the Eastern Panhandle could see flash flooding by Monday night as intense thunderstorms bring heavy downpours to the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Baltimore/Washington, a Flood Watch remains in effect until midnight for Washington, Allegany, and Frederick counties in Maryland; Clarke, Shenandoah, and Frederick counties in Virginia; and Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Hardy, Grant, Hampshire, and Mineral counties in West Virginia.
Rainfall rates of up to 3 inches per hour may overwhelm already saturated soil, raising creeks, streams, and rivers rapidly and posing a flash flood threat—particularly in low-lying or urban areas with poor drainage.
Residents in Hagerstown, Cumberland, Winchester, Martinsburg, and Moorefield should prepare now: avoid driving through flooded roads, monitor local alerts, and move valuables from flood-prone basements.
This event follows a week of intermittent rain, leaving the ground unable to absorb additional moisture. Emergency managers recommend charging mobile devices, checking sump pumps, and staying off roads during heavy downpours.
More warnings are possible as storms intensify this evening. The Flood Watch remains active through midnight, with updates expected if rainfall rates exceed projections.
