The waters are still calm here, but all eyes are on Hurricane Joaquin.
"I'm a little nervous,” said Logan Wern. “I've just been living here for two years, but I heard it was supposed to be similar to Isabelle in 2003, so I'm a little nervous about electricity and stuff."
"I'm hoping it just blows over and it's just a little rainstorm," Marco Aguiniga.
We're expecting a lot of wet weather ahead of the impending storm, and should it hit, flooding and wind damage are real concerns. Experts say you should act now to get ready, even if it's just in case.
"You need to look at your property and try to anticipate where damage may come from," said Maryland Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer Jr.
That means anything that could blow or float like furniture, loose siding or shingles, even tree branches. Move it inside or get rid of it. Experts also recommend cleaning out your gutters and storm drains, and know what insurance coverage you have on your home or vehicle.
"Flood insurance is excluded from almost all homeowners policies, that's a separate policy that you need to buy,” said Redmer. “And unfortunately, you can't buy it when a hurricane is about to take place."
But some folks in the area are optimistic. Over at V-No on South Ann Street, owner Mark Backman says he's got flood insurance and he's not that worried.
"If it does come, we'll sandbag if we can find some sand,” he said. “But most of our shelves are about three feet off the ground, we're prepared for any kind of inclement weather coming our way."
It's also a good idea to have an inventory of your property in-case you need to file an insurance claim, make sure you have a full tank of gas, and keep a close eye on the forecast.
