Overview

• At least 19 Marylanders have died from heat-related illnesses this summer, and emergency departments have logged over 1,250 heat illness visits, exceeding last year’s total
• State and local agencies have maintained heat advisories and Code Orange air quality alerts across most counties through Thursday evening
• The National Weather Service has issued flash flood watches as thunderstorms could unleash up to 6 inches of rain in isolated areas
• Scattered storms this afternoon into the evening may produce damaging wind gusts above 60 mph and rapid stream rises
• Friday and the weekend are forecast to bring a marked cooldown, with highs falling into the 70s and drier air moving into the region