Elkridge Today: Responding to Irene

As of 1 a.m. Sunday, Howard County remained under a tropical storm warning, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS said that Hurricane Irene was approximately 140 miles southeast of Washington, D.C., at midnight. "The worst conditions are expected overnight," said the weather service.

At 1:25 a.m., WJZ reported the first fatality in Maryland from Hurricane Irene occurred when a tree fell on a home in Queen Anne's County.

As of 1:30 a.m. Sunday, more than 12,000 people in Howard County were without power, according to BGE. Two readers posted on the Elkridge Patch Facebook page on Saturday that they had their power turned back on within an hour and a half.

• To report an outage, call  1-877-778-2222.
• To report a downed power line, call 410-685-0123.
• To report fallen trees or debris and for citizen assistance, call Howard County's emergency line at 410-313-2900.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, Howard County opened an emergency shelter "to temporarily house displaced residents or those with medical needs requiring electricity," reported county government in a press release. Call 410-313-2900 for information and directions.

Emergency officials "strongly encourage residents to stay at home and off the roads" through noon on Sunday, said Howard County government in a press release, so road crews can resolve issues from the storm.

When you do hit the road, these could be problem areas for drivers in Elkridge today:

• Meadowridge Road between Huntshire Drive and the
• All of Old Washington Road 
• On ramps to I-195
• Deep Run Parkway near the entrance to 
• Tell us in the comments where you see trouble spots.

Check out these driving tips from the State Highway Administration, reported by TheBayNet:

• Don't try to cross a flooded roadway. Two feet of rapidly moving water can float a bus; 6 inches can knock people off their feet.
• Respect road blockages. Police or highway personnel who are blocking roads are doing so for a reason: your safety.
• Avoid downed/damaged wires and cables.
• Watch for animals, such as deer, that will be fleeing dangerous areas and crossing roadways.
• Stay alert for traffic signal issues related to power outages. Use extreme caution and do not assume the other drivers will stop or yield. Treat lights that are out as four-way stops.