Flood watch for parts of Maryland as storms expected during evening commute

Marylanders should watch out for possible floods while commuting Thursday afternoon.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will wash over the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region as temperatures rise to the mid-80s. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery, Howard, Harford, Prince George’s counties and the District of Columbia from 2-11 p.m.

Rainfall could approach 2 to 3 inches per hour, according to the weather service. Areas along Interstate 95, as well as near rivers, creeks and streams, could be more vulnerable to floods.

It’s the second flood watch the weather service issued this week.

The State Highway Administration urged drivers to be cautious if on the road during storms and added that any traffic signals without power should be treated as a four-way stop.

The Baltimore Orioles also moved up the start time of their Thursday game against the Chicago Cubs to avoid the predicted storms. Originally scheduled for 6:35 p.m., the game will now start at 1:35 p.m.

The Baltimore area has seen powerful storms over the past few days, with power outages that affected more than 70,000 people. Temperatures reached triple-digits during the Fourth of July holiday, forcing officials to cancel and postpone events across the state amid the extreme heat.