A crew at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City lifts a boat from the water on Wednesday as Hurricane Irene strengthened. The couple that owns the boat, Dream Catcher, also has property in Florida and decided to shore up both locations as the path of the storm was uncertain. / LAURA EMMONS/THE DAILY TIMES
OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation starting at midnight tonight.At that time, phase 3 of the resort's evacuation plan will go into effect, meaning everyone other than emergency personnel must leave.
A town statement said effective at midnight, "All persons other than identified emergency personnel are ordered to evacuate. Visitors are asked to return to their principal residences. Ocean City residents are asked to seek shelter elsewhere.
"Utilizing the authority under a local State of Emergency, the Mayor is banning the sale of all alcohol in Ocean City and requests that all businesses close beginning at midnight. All incoming traffic to Ocean City, Maryland, will be limited to emergency personnel."
The full statement is at fb.me/X8Ihj2zy
The decision was made this afternoon after overnight forecasts nudged the projected path of Hurricane Irene closer to the Delmarva coastline than had been expected during the day Wednesday.
Irene's eye "will pass very close by or just offshore [of Ocean City] later Saturday night into Sunday morning," AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said Thursday.
"Periods of heavy rain, damaging sustained tropical storm-force winds with hurricane-force wind gusts (95 mph), and serious coastal flooding will occur Saturday night into Sunday. Expect significant beach erosion with a storm surge averaging 2 to 4 feet, but locally it can be higher. There will be waves topping seawalls Saturday night," Sosnowski forecasted.
The predictions are subject to revision as the storm progresses north from Outer Banks, N.C., on Saturday.
Resort officials are monitoring the situation constantly and are prepared to get any messages regarding the storm out to the public quickly, according to Joe Theobald, Worcester Emergency Services director.
Weather updates will be posted on the town's website, offered via a recorded information line at 410-723-6666 and on 1670 AM.
"As of now, use common sense and pay attention to what's going on, and be prepared for a strong storm," Theobald said from his office Wednesday. "Everyone should have a personal plan."
Ocean City hasn't been evacuated since 1985, when Hurricane Gloria, a Category 5 storm, passed about 50 miles offshore and practically destroyed the Boardwalk. The town has since become much less vulnerable to storm damage due to beach replenishment efforts.
Theobald said there is a likelihood of stormwater accumulation downtown, a commonplace occurrence during downpours.
"It's going to be bad weather most of the weekend," said AccuWeather forecaster John Gresiak, who added waters will still be "very rough" through Sunday, even after the storm passes.
"I wouldn't recommend going swimming Sunday, even if the skies are beginning to clear," he said.
"You just have to take the precautions necessary to protect life and property," Hall said. One of the preemptive measures he has taken is to remove his boat from the water and put it in storage, a commonality among boat owners in the area in the days before a serious storm.
The phone has been ringing off the hook at Harbor Marine, a boat sales, service and storage business on Sunset Avenue in West Ocean City. Customers are calling now to get their vessels out of the water before Saturday, when they'll keep them in until October, according to office manager Monica Shoemaker.
News of a forthcoming hurricane can cause mixed feelings for surfers in the area, said Lee Gerachis, owner of Malibu Surf Shop. Many are excited at the potential to see surf of a quality rare to the area but they also don't want any destruction.
Ideally, the surfing community hopes for the storm to be trapped about 150 miles off the coast, which
generates a good surf with beautiful weather, Gerachis said. If it's close enough to cause much damage, the winds are often too powerful for surfing safely.
"It's going to be bad weather most of the weekend," said AccuWeather forecaster John Gresiak, who added waters will still be "very rough" through Sunday, even after the storm passes.
"I wouldn't recommend going swimming Sunday, even if the skies are beginning to clear," he said.
Time for dry dock
Ocean City Councilman Joe Hall said it's important to be concerned and prepared, but not worried, due to the "ample warning" the town typically has in regards to hurricanes."You just have to take the precautions necessary to protect life and property," Hall said. One of the preemptive measures he has taken is to remove his boat from the water and put it in storage, a commonality among boat owners in the area in the days before a serious storm.
The phone has been ringing off the hook at Harbor Marine, a boat sales, service and storage business on Sunset Avenue in West Ocean City. Customers are calling now to get their vessels out of the water before Saturday, when they'll keep them in until October, according to office manager Monica Shoemaker.
News of a forthcoming hurricane can cause mixed feelings for surfers in the area, said Lee Gerachis, owner of Malibu Surf Shop. Many are excited at the potential to see surf of a quality rare to the area but they also don't want any destruction.
Ideally, the surfing community hopes for the storm to be trapped about 150 miles off the coast, which
generates a good surf with beautiful weather, Gerachis said. If it's close enough to cause much damage, the winds are often too powerful for surfing safely.
"According to the generated computer models I've seen, it's not looking too favorable," he said.
In Wicomico County, David Shipley, the newly appointed director of emergency management, as well as officials from the county's Department of Public Works are closely watching storm models.
"The track of the storm is really going to drive exactly what we do," said Shipley.
Public Works and first responders get periodic updates from Shipley, who said he plans on communicating with the public through news releases. If the power goes out and limits media access, the county can use its reverse 911 system to place automated messages to landlines and registered cellphones.
Watermen bracing for the hurricane began pulling up crab pots Wednesday; they expect to lose out financially because of the storm.
"I'm probably not going to work for another week or so," said Billy Welch, a waterman out of Crisfield.
He pulled 250 crab pots on Wednesday, and anticipates pulling another 250 today.
"They cost about $30 apiece and they won't stand a lot of wind; they will get rolled up and lost."
Power outages could affect the area even further during the storm, and the Maryland State Fire Marshal urged residents Wednesday to use flashlights instead of candles, if possible, and to proceed cautiously if using and refueling a portable generator.
Public Works and first responders get periodic updates from Shipley, who said he plans on communicating with the public through news releases. If the power goes out and limits media access, the county can use its reverse 911 system to place automated messages to landlines and registered cellphones.
Watermen bracing for the hurricane began pulling up crab pots Wednesday; they expect to lose out financially because of the storm.
"I'm probably not going to work for another week or so," said Billy Welch, a waterman out of Crisfield.
He pulled 250 crab pots on Wednesday, and anticipates pulling another 250 today.
"They cost about $30 apiece and they won't stand a lot of wind; they will get rolled up and lost."
Power outages could affect the area even further during the storm, and the Maryland State Fire Marshal urged residents Wednesday to use flashlights instead of candles, if possible, and to proceed cautiously if using and refueling a portable generator.
» Staff Writer Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.
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