NORTH BEACH, Md. — The threat of flooding for our neighbors in Calvert County was top of mind for some folks. Tropical Storm Ian brought heavy rains to part of the metro.
Just last year, North Beach experienced some pretty serious flooding, it’s why the mayor said they’re taking precautions ahead of Saturdays high tide.
The remnants of Hurricane Ian started making it’s way across the metro region Friday night.
“We already had a little bit come through last night. I thought, my house gets pretty flooded and it's not too bad. Hasn't been so bad, so far so,” one neighbor said.
But the concern for Mayor Mike Benton of North Beach, is ever present even though the rains calmed on Saturday. “We're not out of it right now, we're not out of the woods. We're just looking now at how to handle if we have the tidal flooding, which we expect to happen,” he said.
An area notorious for flooding, the calm in the storm doesn’t ease his concerns..
“A year ago, this month, it actually happened from the same area where the waves were such a force, it was driving the jersey walls away from the shoreline. It tore up our boardwalk and flooded our town and that was titled flooding,” Mayor Benton said.
For some neighbors they're thinking of the overall environmental impact of repeated rainfall and flooding. “I mean, especially with climate change, you know, North Beach floods a lot. So it's always a concern,” another neighbor said.
Most people we talked to around town weren’t overly worried, thinking worst has gone by and tidal flooding won’t be too detrimental. These three young boys however…well they had a few concerns after the down pour from the night before.
“And there was like water gushing down the street or it's like God be careful,” the young boy said.