In Maryland and Washington, D.C., the effects of Hurricane Isabel were among the most damaging from a tropical cyclone in the respective metropolitan area. Hurricane Isabel formed from a tropical wave on September 6, 2003, in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It moved northwestward, and within an environment of light wind shear and warm waters, it steadily strengthened to reach peak winds of on September 11. After fluctuating in intensity for four days, Isabel gradually weakened and made landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina with winds of on September 18. It quickly weakened over land and became extratropical over western Pennsylvania the next day.
On September 19, Tropical Storm Isabel passed through extreme western Maryland, though its large circulation produced tropical storm force winds throughout the state. About 1.24 million people lost power throughout the state. The worst of its effects came from its storm surge, which inundated areas along the coast and resulted in severe beach erosion. On the Eastern Shore, hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed, primarily in Queen Anne's County from tidal flooding. Thousands of houses were affected in Central Maryland, with severe storm surge flooding reported in Baltimore and Annapolis. Washington, D.C., sustained moderate damage, primarily from the winds. Throughout Maryland and Washington, damage totaled about $820 million (equivalent to $ billion in ), with only one fatality due to flooding.
Preparations
While Isabel was still over the western Atlantic Ocean as a Category 5 hurricane, forecasters predicted the storm would move northwestward and within five days be at a position east-southeast of Ocean City, Maryland, as a major hurricane. By four days before Isabel made landfall, most computer models predicted Isabel to make landfall between North Carolina and New Jersey. On September 16, about two days before the hurricane struck land, the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for the southern region of the Maryland coastline on the Chesapeake Bay. Later that day, a tropical storm watch was issued for the eastern Maryland coastline, which was upgraded to a tropical storm warning by about 24 hours before landfall.
Officials recommended the citizens on Smith Island to evacuate on the day before the hurricane making landfall, the only evacuations for the Eastern shore of Maryland. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for low-lying and other specific areas in Calvert, St. Mary's, and Charles counties, and the residents in six homes were asked to leave in Howard County. Officials recommended that residents in flood areas of Baltimore County evacuate, and some in the city of Baltimore left spontaneously due to flooding. Evacuation rates were low throughout the Maryland coastline, with the highest rate being in the southernmost counties on the western shore. The primary reason for people staying was due to the track of the hurricane. Between 20% and 33% of those who participated in an evacuation survey said they had concerns about being caught on roadways while trying to evacuate as the storm arrived, with similar numbers expressing concern about being able to return to their homes if they evacuated. Of those who left, most went to the house of a friend or family member, with two-thirds to three-fourths going to destinations in their own neighborhood or county. Most did not evacuate until the day before or the day of landfall. In most areas, the public response to the evacuation orders was normal to fast, with traffic during the evacuation described as light to normal. The most significant problems experienced during the evacuation were downed trees, inadequate signage, flooded roads, or stalled cars. In all, 3,080 people evacuated their homes in preparation for Hurricane Isabel. Boats, trucks, and school buses helped more than 1,000 people evacuate the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, as well.
Anthony A. Williams, the mayor of Washington, D.C., declared a state of emergency. In Washington, preparations began several days prior to the arrival of the hurricane, including placing sandbags in flood-prone areas. Many people, including non-emergency government personnel, were told to stay home. Most people in the district took shelter by the time the hurricane passed through the area, and the streets across the city were largely empty. President George W. Bush along with Abdullah II of Jordan were evacuated from the city to the presidential retreat at Camp David. Most United States Congress representatives and members of the Department of Defense also left the city. Many buildings, including some federal, were shut down. All three airports in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area were closed, with flights into the capital cancelled or diverted. Many train routes were canceled or delayed, and the Washington Metro and Metrobus systems were closed entirely. Workers at the National Zoo prepared by moving animals inside and lowering water levels.
Impact
Eastern Shore
On the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Hurricane Isabel produced a storm surge peaking at on the Chesapeake Bay in Hoopers Island and on the Atlantic coast in Ocean City. The track of the hurricane to the west funneled into the bay and was so strong it negated the normal tide cycle in the bay. Tolchester Beach recorded a record-breaking high tide of above mean low water. Rainfall in the Maryland portion of the Delmarva Peninsula reached in Steeles Neck. The large circulation of the hurricane produced strong winds across the area, including maximum sustained winds of and a gust of in Cambridge.
Tidal flooding from the storm surge forced residents to evacuate near the bay. Tidal flooding was reported in and around Rock Hall, Chestertown, Skinners Neck, Piney Neck, and Cliffs City, and was carried along the Chester River slightly inland. The flooding destroyed or damaged over 100 homes, vehicles, and boats, and also destroyed the Romancoke pier, one of the pre-Bay Bridge ferry landings that was still in use as a fishing pier at the time. The flooding also severely damaged eleven marinas, three restaurants, four hotels, one boatbuilding business, and one marine railway. In Queen Anne's County, the hurricane destroyed 37 homes, greatly damaged 151, and moderately damaged 192, with damage totaling $37 million (equivalent to $ million in ). The damage was mainly due to the tidal flooding, though four homes were destroyed due to falling trees. Moderate wind gusts knocked down numerous trees, tree limbs, and power lines, leaving about 65,750 homes and businesses without power, half of which occurred in Cecil County. The resulting power outage was described as one of the worst in the history of Conectiv Energy. Damage in the Eastern Shore of Maryland totaled about $50 million (equivalent to $ million in ).
Central Maryland
Wind gusts in central Maryland peaked at in Silver Spring, with a location along the Patuxent River recording sustained winds of . Unofficially, rainfall reached in portions of Maryland, though the highest precipitation amount totaled at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Swells from the hurricane produced high storm surges along the Western Shore which peaked at in Baltimore. Annapolis also reported a surge of . In many locations, the storm surge was higher than the previous record set by the 1933 Chesapeake Potomac Hurricane. Throughout central Maryland, 472 buildings and homes were destroyed, with 3,260 greatly damaged and another 3,600 affected in general. Strong storm surge from the hurricane washed of salt, millions of pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus, and millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Chesapeake Bay. One person died as a result of a traffic death in the state. Property damage totaled $530.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), with an additional $190,000 () in crop damage. The crop damage was primarily limited to minor damage to livestock buildings and sheds, though the winds destroyed a hay barn and a dairy barn at one farm in Frederick County. The United States Department of Agriculture estimated the winds of the hurricane destroyed 15–30% of the field corn and 10–15% of the soybean crop. Excess amounts of water led to the closure of many crab processing plants and crab house restaurants, and officials restricted harvest on shellfish for eleven days due to unsafe impurities in the water.
Most coastal areas under above sea level experienced severe wave damage. The Maryland Geological Survey estimates the waves removed of sand along the coastline, based on an estimate of losses in Baltimore County. The of lost in single day represent about 15% of the total beach loss in an average year. The average location lost about of beach, and throughout the Chesapeake Bay the erosion deposited about of sediment into the bay. However, the erosion was irregular; some locations were unaffected, while others experienced greater losses, despite that the two locations were similar. The erosion and storm surge damaged many bulkheads, and after the storm surge retreated into the bay it washed away freestanding structures. The passage of Isabel resulted in an unusual increase in phytoplankton in the middle portion of the Chesapeake Bay, followed by an abrupt return to normal conditions by early October.
Effects by county
waves along the coastline of Saint Mary's County, with Point Lookout State Park suffering $3 million in damages (equivalent to $ million in ). In the county, 2,500 wharves and piers were destroyed, with another 1,000 moderately damaged, resulting in $10.25 million in monetary damage (equivalent to $ million in ). The storm surge destroyed the bridge to Saint George Island by a few hours after the hurricane made landfall, and the flooding covered much of the island for a week. There, 20 homes were destroyed. Shore revetments experienced $53.4 million in damage (equivalent to $ million in ). Throughout Saint Mary's County, residential damage amounted to about $17 million (equivalent to $ million in ) with about $1.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ) to commercial buildings. The damage was caused primarily by the storm surge, though the winds produced minor to moderate damage, the worst effects in the state from winds. In the county, the winds blew off the roof of a home and downed 70 trees, leaving 27,092 without power.
In Charles County, the hurricane resulted in about $2 million (equivalent to $ million in ) in damage to roads. Two homes were destroyed with several others damaged on Cobb Island. Elsewhere in the county, Chigger City, Port Tobacco, Woodland Point, Swan Point, and Morgantown also reported damage from Hurricane Isabel, with 52 houses damaged and eight homes destroyed or severely damaged. Seven businesses were also destroyed or greatly damaged. Many piers along the shore were damaged or lost, and two private community wells were contaminated. The winds downed several trees and power lines, leaving about 32,000 people without power. Residential damage totaled $1.1 million (equivalent to $ million in ), with another $600,000 () to commercial buildings.
waves hit the eastern portion of Calvert County, causing a home to be knocked off its foundation in North Beach. The storm surge destroyed the pier and greatly damaged buildings along the shoreline at Solomons Island. Power was lost to 22,400 residents as a result of the passage of the hurricane.