Maryland, 2023

Flash Flooding and Flooding in Maryland, July 3 to 4, 2023

July 3 to 4, 2023 · NWS LWX · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

Showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of a weak boundary. A few areas received multiple rounds of storms, resulting in isolated instances of flash flooding 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
7

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.

Showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of a weak boundary. A few areas received multiple rounds of storms, resulting in isolated instances of flash flooding 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 Jul 3, 8:15 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 3, 8:15 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 3, 9:01 PM EST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 3, 9:07 PM EST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 3, 9:08 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 3, 9:11 PM EST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 3, 9:26 PM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 3, 9:29 PM EST, 59 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 3, 9:33 PM EST, 55 minutes before
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The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Harford

When
July 3, 10:28 PM EST to July 4, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Harford County, 0.41 mi NW of Joppa to 0.45 mi WNW of Joppa
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.435, -76.374

A swift water rescue was needed between Route 40 and Route 7. Three cars were stranded with water flowing across the road 6 to 12 inches deep.

Flood, Harford

When
July 3, 10:31 PM EST to July 4, 12:31 AM EST
Where
Harford County, 0.44 mi NNW of Joppa to 0.64 mi WNW of Joppa
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.436, -76.373

I-95 was partially closed northbound due to standing water between mile markers 72 and 75.

Flood, Harford

When
July 3, 10:33 PM EST to July 4, 12:33 AM EST
Where
Harford County, 0.99 mi SSW of Van Bibber to 1.07 mi SSW of Van Bibber
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.437, -76.307

Edgewood Road was closed at Route 40 due to high water.

Flood, Baltimore

When
July 3, 10:50 PM EST to 11:05 PM EST
Where
Baltimore County, 0.31 mi ESE of White Marsh to 0.29 mi ESE of White Marsh
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.378, -76.425

The water level rose above 6 feet along the HoneyGo Run in White Marsh. At 6 feet, water begins to flow behind a business on Ebenezer Road.

Flash Flood, Baltimore

When
July 3, 10:55 PM EST to 11:40 PM EST
Where
Baltimore County, 1.61 mi W of White Marsh to 1.44 mi W of White Marsh
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.376, -76.460

The water level along White Marsh Run at White Marsh rose rapidly above the flood stage of 11 feet, cresting at 12.44 feet at 11:20 PM EST. Water covered the parking lots near the stream, particularly near the Town Center Court. Water was likely flowing and about 1 to 2 feet deep.

Flash Flood, Baltimore

When
July 3, 11:30 PM EST to July 4, 12:30 AM EST
Where
Baltimore County, 1.14 mi SE of Perry Hall to 1.16 mi SE of Perry Hall
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.407, -76.457

Two cars were stuck in a flooded roadway near the 9100 Block of Snyder Lane.

Flood, Cecil

When
July 4, 12:50 AM EST to 1:40 AM EST
Where
Cecil County, 2.42 mi NNE of Cecilton to 1.42 mi E of Cecilton
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.434, -75.869

Grove Neck Road near Crystal Beach Road closed due to standing water. Pinewood Road closed near Cabin John Creek due to high water.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
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 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, July 2023

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: 1098447, 1098448, 1098449, 1098450, 1098451, 1098452, 1098466.