Heavy Rains, High Winds and Flooding Expected Into Tomorrow

Another drenching storm is headed toward the Washington region just weeks after Tropical Storm Hanna left the area thoroughly soaked. Expected to reach the region late this afternoon, the storm will last longer than Hanna but dump less rain, experts said.

Cities along the mid-Atlantic will receive the brunt of the storm's force, and officials in Annapolis were bracing for coastal flooding, offering sandbags to those near the downtown's low-lying City Dock.

Meteorologists predict that the storm will bring two to three inches of rain, lasting from this afternoon through tomorrow. Gusts of up to 50 mph are expected along the Chesapeake Bay with less powerful winds inland -- about 30 to 40 mph gusts around the District.

There is a chance the low-pressure storm could become a tropical system before hitting land, weather experts said.

"We're awaiting a call from the hurricane center about the possibility," said meteorologist Andrew Orrison of the National Weather Service. "But right now, it's just an area of low pressure."

Yesterday afternoon, the storm was swirling 250 mile southeast of North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center, which sent a hurricane-hunting aircraft to investigate the storm.

The worst of the storm will occur along the coast, where tides are expected to run as much as three feet above normal. The weather service issued a flood advisory for the following counties in Maryland: Anne Arundel, St. Mary's, Calvert, Baltimore and Worchester, and for Maryland beaches, from 2 this morning through 6 a.m. tomorrow.

The advisory was also in effect for coastal areas of Virginia, including Norfolk and Virginia Beach.