Flood & Hurricane Risk in Maryland
Maryland's real, defining hazard profile is Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coastal flooding and measurable, ongoing sea-level rise, layered with genuine hurricane and nor'easter storm-surge risk concentrated on the Eastern Shore and Ocean City -- a real, current risk this record does not downplay, alongside essentially no tornado or earthquake exposure.
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Learn moreMeasurable, ongoing sea-level rise and tidal flooding
Sea levels around Maryland have risen up to 10 inches since 1950 and are now rising roughly 1 inch every 5 years (partly due to land subsidence); tidal flooding has increased 178% since 2000; over 23,000 Maryland properties are currently at real, disclosed risk from tidal flooding; and the state and its communities are spending over $3 billion on flood-mitigation solutions. This is a real, current, and worsening trend, not a historical-only risk.
Hurricane and nor'easter storm-surge risk is real, concentrated on the Eastern Shore and Ocean City
Storm surge from hurricanes and nor'easters is a real, elevated risk along the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coastline, concentrated on the Eastern Shore and Ocean City specifically -- Maryland's massive seasonal Atlantic beach-tourism economy sits directly in this exposure zone. This is genuinely different from most inland states and warrants real preparedness; see the hurricane-preparedness topic.
Riverine flooding is a real, distinct inland risk
Riverine flooding from the Potomac, Patuxent, and Susquehanna Rivers is a real, distinct risk affecting different Maryland markets than the Bay/coastal story -- inland communities along these rivers should confirm their specific flood-zone designation separately from coastal exposure.
No meaningful tornado or earthquake risk, and a genuinely different profile by region
Maryland carries no meaningful tornado or earthquake exposure comparable to several other states this project has built (Missouri, for instance) -- the defining hazard here is water, not wind or seismic activity. Western Maryland (Cumberland) carries a different, Appalachian-adjacent flood-and-terrain risk profile genuinely distinct from the Bay/coastal regions.
Key takeaways
- Maryland's real, defining hazard is Chesapeake Bay/Atlantic coastal flooding and sea-level rise -- up to 10 inches since 1950, 178% more tidal flooding since 2000, 23,000+ at-risk properties.
- Hurricane and nor'easter storm-surge risk is real and concentrated on the Eastern Shore and Ocean City -- a genuine, current risk unlike most inland states.
- Riverine flooding from the Potomac, Patuxent, and Susquehanna Rivers is a real, distinct inland risk separate from coastal exposure.
- Maryland carries no meaningful tornado or earthquake risk -- its hazard profile is genuinely water-driven, with Western Maryland carrying a different Appalachian terrain risk.
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