Maryland, 2021

Flooding in Maryland, October 29 to 30, 2021

October 29 to 30, 2021 · NWS LWX · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Slow moving low pressure and its associated warm front caused rain to overspread the area. Subtropical moisture was wrapped into this system, which led to instances of heavy rain and flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
4

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.

Slow moving low pressure and its associated warm front caused rain to overspread the area. Subtropical moisture was wrapped into this system, which led to instances of heavy rain and flooding.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 29, 1:57 PM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 29, 1:57 PM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 29, 4:19 PM EST, 17 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 29, 1:52 PM EST, 2 hours 44 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 29, 1:56 PM EST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 29, 2:04 PM EST, 2 hours 32 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 29, 2:28 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 29, 2:36 PM EST, 2 hours before
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Local storm report, Oct 29, 2:51 PM EST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Howard

When
October 29, 4:36 PM EST to 6:56 PM EST
Where
Howard County, 3.07 mi ENE of Elkridge to 2.95 mi ENE of Elkridge
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.232, -76.665

The water level along the Patuxent River at Elkridge rose above the flood stage of 16.0 feet, cresting at 16.43 feet at 4:45 PM EST on the 29th. Hammonds Ferry Road was flooded and closed at the Patapsco River. Backwater flooding lead to the closure of Furnace Avenue in Elkridge.

Flood, Harford

When
October 29, 4:39 PM EST to 6:39 PM EST
Where
Harford County, 1.4 mi S of Belcamp to 1.42 mi S of Belcamp
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.450, -76.232

High water was over Park Beach Road at Clubhouse Road.

Flood, Howard

When
October 29, 5:42 PM EST to 10:51 PM EST
Where
Howard County, 0.39 mi NE of Savage to 0.41 mi NE of Savage
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.135, -76.826

The water level along the Little Patuxent River at Savage rose above the flood stage of 10.0 feet, cresting at 11.06 feet at 7:45 PM EST on the 29th. The riverside trail was flooded and water approached fields off of Bald Eagle Drive and Brock Ridge Road.

Flood, Prince George'S

When
October 30, 1:30 AM EST to 1:35 AM EST
Where
Prince George'S County, 0.39 mi S of Upper Marlboro to 0.45 mi S of Upper Marlboro
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
38.815, -76.751

The water level along the western branch of the Patuxent River at Upper Marlboro rose above flood stage of 11 feet, cresting at 11.07 feet at 1:35 AM EST on the 30th. The Water Street Bridge in Upper Marlboro was covered by water.

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, October 2021

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 989528, 989672, 989529, 989530.