A slow-moving front will bring heavy rain to Ocean City on Wednesday and an astronomically high tide could result in minor flooding.
The National Weather Service issued a Coastal Flood Advisory in effect from 7 p.m. Tuesday (April 29) to 3 a.m. Wednesday (April 30) , and both high tide cycles on Wednesday (9:45 a.m. and 10 p.m. at the Ninth Street Bridge) could see additional flooding.
The advisory warns that low-lying streets could flood. Ocean City residents should consider moving their vehicles to higher ground.
A new moon occurred on Tuesday evening, bringing an exceptionally high tide just as the steady rain arrived.
The heaviest rain is expected Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night with 2 to 5 inches possible in different parts of the region, according to a National Weather Service briefing released Tuesday morning.
The gusty east winds that rocked Ocean City on Tuesday are expected to continue on Wednesday, topping out at more than 30 knots.
"Low pressure over Nebraska will slowly shift to the Great Lakes on Thursday," according to the briefing. 'It will take about 72 hours for the associated frontal systems to track from the central U.S. to the Eastern seaboard. The slow-moving nature of these fronts will help produce an extended period of excessive rainfall."
The rain is expected to clear by Friday, and the Saturday forecast for
Ocean City's Spring Block Party calls for sunny skies and a high temperature of 60 degrees.
Martin Z. Mollusk, Ocean City's prognosticating hermit crab, however, may have his work cut out for him on Thursday (May 1), when he's expected to see his shadow and predict an early summer. The annual event will
move inside the Ocean City Music Pier in the event of rain.
