Clear, Chilly, and Calm Statewide — Coastal Flood Watch Lingers at the Beach

Tonight is about as uneventful as it gets — in the best way. NWS Baltimore/Washington (issued 3:26 PM) and NWS Mount Holly (3:32 PM) both describe a dry, stagnant pattern holding firm across Maryland, with high pressure building in behind a nor’easter spinning harmlessly off the coast. The only real story tonight is at the immediate coast, where that offshore storm keeps pumping onshore wind, building surf, and nudging tide cycles a little too high for comfort.

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Expect clear skies, calm winds inland, and a proper autumn chill settling into the valleys by early Wednesday morning. No rain, no storms, no drama — just a crisp fall night across the state.

Tonight’s Timeline

• 7–9 PM: Skies clear out statewide as the last daytime breeze eases; temperatures falling steadily everywhere except the immediate coast.
• 9 PM–Midnight: Winds decouple inland (go calm to light) while staying breezy to gusty at Ocean City and the Bay shoreline. Minor tidal flooding possible around the evening high tide cycle on the Bay and coastal bays.
• Midnight–6 AM: Coldest stretch of the night. Valleys west of the Blue Ridge and in Garrett/Allegany dip into the mid-upper 30s; central Maryland and the DC corridor settle into the mid-upper 40s. Clear and quiet throughout.
• By sunrise Wednesday: Patchy frost possible in the usual cold hollows of Garrett County; otherwise a bright, chilly start with sun returning quickly.

Western Maryland

Garrett County (Deep Creek / Oakland): Clear and cold, dropping to around 36° — mid-30s — with light northeast winds near 3 mph. This is your coldest corner of the state tonight; dress the dog before the last walk.

Allegany County (Cumberland): Clear, light north wind around 6 mph, low near 41° — upper 30s to low 40s. A calm, crisp mountain night.

Northern & Central Maryland

Washington County (Hagerstown): Clear skies, north wind around 8 mph easing after dark, low near 42° — low-to-mid 40s.

Frederick County: Clear, light north wind, low near 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Carroll County: Shares the Frederick gridpoint — clear and quiet, low around 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Baltimore Metro

Baltimore City & County: Mostly clear, north wind around 7 mph, low near 49° — upper 40s. Comfortable sleeping weather if you crack a window.

Harford County: Tracks with the Baltimore gridpoint — mostly clear, low near 49° — upper 40s.

Howard County: Same zone, mostly clear, low near 49° — upper 40s.

Anne Arundel County: Mostly clear, low near 49° — upper 40s, with a light north breeze off the Bay keeping it a touch brisker right along the shoreline.

DC Suburbs

Montgomery County: Clear, north wind around 8 mph, low near 47° — mid-to-upper 40s.

Prince George’s County: Shares the same forecast — clear, low near 47° — mid-to-upper 40s.

Southern Maryland

Charles County: Clear, north wind around 8 mph, low near 50° — upper 40s to around 50°.

Calvert County: Same zone, clear, low near 50° — upper 40s to around 50°. Winds stay a bit livelier right along the Bay shoreline.

St. Mary’s County: Also near 50° — upper 40s — with the mildest overnight lows in Southern Maryland thanks to Bay/Potomac influence.

Upper Eastern Shore

Cecil County: Clear, north wind around 10 mph, low near 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Kent County: Shares the Easton gridpoint — clear, low near 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Queen Anne’s County: Clear, breezy near the Bay Bridge, low near 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Talbot County: Clear, low near 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Caroline County: Same airmass, clear, low near 44° — low-to-mid 40s.

Lower Eastern Shore

Dorchester County: Clear, north wind 8–12 mph, low near 45° — mid-40s.

Wicomico County (Salisbury): Same forecast — clear, low near 45° — mid-40s, breezy at times.

Somerset County: Tracks with Salisbury — clear, low near 45° — mid-40s.

Ocean City & The Coast

Worcester County / Ocean City: Mostly clear but notably breezier than the rest of the state — northeast wind around 22 mph tonight, low only near 53°, the mildest spot in Maryland thanks to that onshore flow. Surf remains elevated and choppy under the High Surf Advisory, with a continued risk of rip currents for anyone foolish enough to wade in after dark. Beach erosion is ongoing as those offshore-storm swells keep pounding the shoreline. Minor tidal flooding is possible during the overnight high tide cycle in the usual low-lying spots — coastal roads, docks, and low parking areas near the bayside.

Active Hazards

• Small Craft Advisory — Chesapeake Bay (all Maryland sections) and the Lower Tidal Potomac, in effect until 6 PM Wednesday. Northerly winds continuing to kick up a chop; small boats should stay in.
• High Surf Advisory — Maryland beaches (Ocean City/Worcester), in effect for elevated, breaking surf and rip currents tied to the offshore nor’easter.
• Coastal Flood Advisory — Maryland beaches and inland Worcester County, for minor tidal flooding during high tide cycles.
• Coastal Flood Watch — Maryland beaches and inland Worcester County, as the same prolonged onshore flow raises the risk of more significant tidal flooding through midweek into Thursday.

No severe weather, flooding rain, or wind alerts are in effect anywhere else in Maryland tonight. This is strictly a coastal/marine story.

Severe & Flooding Threat

None inland. The entire severe and flash-flood threat tonight is zero across Maryland. The only flooding concern is strictly coastal/tidal — minor nuisance flooding possible tonight into Wednesday at low-lying Bay and ocean-side locations as persistent north-to-northeast flow keeps piling water toward the shore.

Winds & Chesapeake Bay

Winds are generally light inland tonight (calm to around 5-10 mph) as the atmosphere decouples after sunset, but it’s a different story on the water. North winds continue across the Bay and tidal Potomac, kicking up a chop that’s prompted the Small Craft Advisory through Wednesday evening. At the coast, sustained winds near 20+ mph keep conditions blustery well into the overnight.

Overnight Lows by Zone

Zone	Low Tonight
Western Mountains (Garrett)	~36° (mid-30s)
Cumberland/Allegany	~41° (upper 30s-low 40s)
Hagerstown/Frederick/Carroll	42-44° (low-mid 40s)
Baltimore/DC Corridor	47-49° (upper 40s)
Southern Maryland	~50° (upper 40s-50°)
Eastern Shore	44-45° (low-mid 40s)
Ocean City	~53° (low 50s)

Looking Ahead

Wednesday: Another sunny, dry day statewide, highs mostly in the mid-60s to upper 60s (upper 60s Cumberland/Hagerstown, mid-60s Baltimore/DC, low-to-mid 60s on the Shore, low 60s at the coast where wind stays gusty near 20 mph). Small Craft Advisory continues on the Bay through 6 PM.

Thursday: Similar sunny and seasonable pattern, highs in the upper 60s inland, mid-60s Shore, with northwest winds picking up again — another Small Craft Advisory may be needed late Thursday into Friday morning as winds surge. Coastal flood concerns continue into Thursday as the offshore nor’easter lingers before finally getting absorbed into a Canadian trough.

By Friday and into the weekend, high pressure takes full control with abundant sunshine, highs mostly in the 60s (50s in the mountains), and the coldest nights of the week — Friday and Saturday — dropping into the 30s to low 40s. Frost is possible where the growing season continues, mainly east of the mountains.

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Data: NWS Baltimore/Washington, Mount Holly & Wakefield.

Stay cozy out there, Maryland — MDWA will be back with the morning update. Sleep well; nothing’s chasing you tonight.