A sprawling storm targeting the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area is expected to bring some of the worst tidal flooding  in the past two decades onFriday and Saturday, forecasters warn.
The areas near the tidal shorelines in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia will see high water levels and “exceptional tidal inundation,” the National Weather Service Baltimore-Washington said.
Levels were already elevated early Friday morning but tides are expected to be highest later Friday through Saturday morning. Roads are likely to be impassable, and the weather service warned of water pouring into low shoreline homes and buildings as well as flooded docks and marinas.
As “strong and persistent easterly winds” push water into the Chesapeake Bay, flood watches and wind advisories have been issued in parts of the area, according to the weather service.
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Coastal flood warnings are in effect until Saturday morning for Prince Georges County, Maryland, and several northern Virginia counties, according to an NWS advisory. Flooding may reach 2 to 3 feet.
Winds of 20 to 35 mph and gusts of up to 60 mph are expected Friday with the strongest winds along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline, the NWS said. High winds may damage trees and power lines, leading to widespread power outages.
The National Weather Service expects the region may see the greatest tidal flooding since Hurricane Isabel in 2003, which brought heavy rain and severe flooding, downed trees and led to widespread power outages in the mid-Atlantic, according to NASA.
Forecasters warned residents against driving through water of unknown depths and said to stay away from  forested areas. During high winds, it recommends remaining in the lower levels of homes and avoiding windows.
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.

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