Flood and Strong Wind in Maryland, December 16 to 18, 2000

Name: Flood and Strong Wind in Maryland, December 16 to 18, 2000
Start: 2000-12-16T21:00
End: 2000-12-18T06:00
Location: Maryland

December 16 to 18, 2000 · NWS LWX · 25 events in 17 counties and zones

A strong cold front moved across the region around midday on the 17th. Ahead of the front, heavy rain fell from showers and thunderstorms.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 25

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.

A strong cold front moved across the region around midday on the 17th. Ahead of the front, heavy rain fell from showers and thunderstorms. In St. Mary's County, 2.28 inches fell in Morganza and 2.22 inches fell in Oraville. In Charles County, 2.50 inches fell in Waldorf and 2.26 inches was recorded in Bryan's Road. In Calvert County, between 2.5 and 3.5 inches was recorded across the northwest portion of the county. In Prince George's County 2.55 inches fell at Andrews AFB, 1.71 inches fell in South Bowie, and 1.55 inches fell in Oxon Hill. In Anne Arundel County, 2.50 inches fell in Annapolis, 3.30 inches fell at Park West, 2.20 inches fell in Jessup, 1.87 inches fell in Rivera Beach, and 1.69 inches fell at Jug Bay Wetlands. In Howard County, 3.81 inches fell in Ora, 2.34 inches fell in Columbia, and 2.26 inches fell in Laurel. Flooding was reported along Hammond's Branch.In Baltimore County, 2.32 inches fell at Parkton, 2.20 inches fell at Baptist Home, 2.15 inches fell in Owings Mills, and 1.60 inches fell in Freeland. Spotters reported that both Gwynns Falls and Jones Falls overflowed their banks temporarily. Sections of Route 140 (Reisterstown Road) and Owings Mills Boulevard were closed by high water. In Carroll County, 1.81 inches fell in Westminster. In Frederick County, 1.60 inches fell in Thurmont. Because of the heavy downpours, the Monocacy River near Frederick rose above its flood stage of 15 feet between 6 PM on the 17th and 6 AM on the 18th. The river crested at 15.89 feet at 1:30 AM on the 18th. Water began to inundate Lillypond Fish Hatchery and the sewage treatment plant. Backwater flooding occurred along Carroll Creek which sent water onto Gashouse Pike. Israel Creek also overflowed onto Stauffer Road. Behind the front, northwest winds increased to 30 to 45 MPH. Measured wind gusts included 51 MPH at Andrews AFB, 48 MPH at Martin State Airport just east of Baltimore, 46 MPH at Hagerstown, 45 MPH at Damascus in Montgomery County, 44 MPH at Oraville in St. Mary's County, 43 MPH at Bryan's Road and St. Indigoes in Charles County and at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, 41 MPH at Hollywood and Ridge in St. Mary's County, 40 MPH at Frederick and Cumberland, and 39 MPH at Westminster.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 strong wind, 10 heavy rain, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Frederick

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Frederick County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.472, -77.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Carroll

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Carroll County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.563, -77.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Baltimore

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Baltimore County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.443, -76.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Baltimore City (C)

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Baltimore City (C) County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.290, -76.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Howard

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Howard County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.251, -76.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Anne Arundel

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Anne Arundel County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.994, -76.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Prince George'S

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Prince George'S County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.830, -76.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Charles

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Charles County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.474, -77.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, St. Mary'S

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: St. Mary'S County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.216, -76.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Carroll

When: December 16, 9:00 PM EST to December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Carroll County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.563, -77.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Frederick

When: December 17, 6:15 AM EST to December 18, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Frederick forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.472, -77.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Monocacy River near Frederick crested at 15.89 feet.

Strong Wind, Allegany

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Allegany forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Washington

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 39.604, -77.814 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Frederick

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Frederick forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 39.472, -77.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Carroll

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 39.563, -77.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Baltimore

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Baltimore forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 39.443, -76.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Baltimore

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Baltimore forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 39.367, -76.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Montgomery

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Howard

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Harford

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Harford forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Strong Wind, Anne Arundel

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Anne Arundel forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 38.994, -76.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Prince Georges

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Prince Georges forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 38.830, -76.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Calvert

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Calvert forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 38.535, -76.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Charles

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Charles forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 38.474, -77.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, St. Mary'S

When: December 17, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: St. Mary'S forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 38.216, -76.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maryland in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Maryland, December 2000

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5168603, 5168604, 5168605, 5168606, 5168607, 5168717, 5168718, 5168719, 5168720, 5168721, 5168602, 5166279, 5166280, 5166281, 5166282, 5166283, 5166284, 5168594, 5168595, 5168596, 5168597, 5168598, 5168599, 5168600, 5168601.