Maryland weather: Artscape to return Sunday as rain, wind from Tropical Storm Ophelia move through Baltimore

Artscape will return Sunday as the effects Tropical Storm Ophelia continue to impact the region.

While the storm had been predicted to bring heavy rain and high winds to the region Saturday, the impact was lesser than expected. On Friday, Artscape organizers cancelled Saturday’s schedule because of the storm forecast.

The festival, organized by the city and nonprofit Baltimore Office for Promotion of the Arts will run from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. According to the National Weather Service, one to two inches of rain could fall Sunday in Baltimore.

“The safety and well-being of our staff, volunteers, artists and attendees remain our utmost concern. We will continue to monitor weather conditions and take any necessary precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all,” Todd Yuhanick, interim CEO for the Baltimore Office for Promotion of the Arts, said in a statement.

Baltimore artist Katie Pumphrey added 150 pounds of sand to the base of her sculpture at the intersection of West Mount Royal Avenue and North Charles Street Friday afternoon. Pumphrey, who has swam 21 miles across the English Channel twice and draws inspiration from the water, created a sculpture with an exterior of chaotic pool floats with a calm interior painted deep blue.

“The artist community was definitely buzzing for [Artscape] to be back this year. Last night had a really exciting energy. Everybody was really exited to be out,” Pumphrey said Saturday afternoon. “[Baltimore Office for Promotion of the Arts] told us last night we could take our work down if we’re worried about it being damaged, but it took a few friends to help me carry everything to its place. I’m not taking it down until the end.”

Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall in the North Carolina early Saturday, lashing coastal areas with damaging winds and dangerous surges of water, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Radar, hurricane hunter aircraft and observers on the ground found that Ophelia’s center came ashore at around 6:15 a.m. near Emerald Isle with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, the hurricane center said in an update.

Even before it made landfall, the storm proved dangerous enough that five people had to be rescued by the Coast Guard on Friday night from a boat anchored down near the North Carolina coastline.

Philippe Papin, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center, said the primary risk of the storm system over the next couple of days will be the threat of floods from the rain.

“There have been tropical storm-force winds observed, but those are starting to gradually subside as the system moves further inland,” Papin said in an interview early Saturday. “However, there is a significant flooding rainfall threat for a large portion of eastern North Carolina into southern Virginia over the next 12 to 24 hours.”

A storm surge warning of up to six feet of ocean water pushed inland by Ophelia, is in effect for parts of Virginia and Delaware.

According to the National Weather Service, the storm system moved into the Baltimore region bringing rain and forcing the agency to issue a wind advisory. Despite warnings of a storm surge, Saturday afternoon’s high tide passed in Annapolis without any flooding.

Tonight, rain will continue with the possibility of a thunderstorm between 8 and 11 p.m and a low around 60, according to the weather service. It will be windy, with a northeast wind and gusts as high as 43 mph. Precipitation forecasts for Saturday evening are around one inch.

The Ravens host the Colts at 1 p.m. Sunday, when there is a 80% chance of precipitation and possible 20 mph winds. The chance of rain will drop to 30% Sunday night.

On Monday the chance of precipitation is 30% as showers are expected around Baltimore through Monday night.

The storm led to other cancellations Saturday, including Artscape, public school events in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties, the Festival for the Animals in Cockeysville, The Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival in Annapolis and the Maryland Renaissance Festival, among others.

Gov. Wes Moore, in addition to leaders of North Carolina and Virginia, declared a state of emergency. Moore said in a statement Friday evening that the state expected an extended period of strong winds, heavy rainfall and elevated tides.

The Maryland Department of Emergency Management Friday issued a tropical storm warning for St. Mary’s, Calvert, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester Counties, and the Maryland National Guard has activated 22 soldiers and 11 military vehicles in Somerset and Dorchester counties.

In Annapolis, water taxi driver Scott Bierman said service would be closed Saturday.

“We don’t operate when it’s going to endanger passengers and or damage vessels,” Bierman said.

In Washington, the Nationals baseball team postponed its Saturday game until Sunday.

Nancy Shoemaker and her husband Bob stopped by a waterside park in downtown Annapolis to pick up sandbags. A water surge in a storm last October washed away sandbags they had in their yard.

“We’re hoping it won’t be that way this time,” Nancy Shoemaker said. “If we have a lot of wind and a lot of surge, it can look like the ocean out there, so that’s a problem.”

This article will be updated.