[Wikipedia Daily Article] August 18: Effects of Hurricane Isabel in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

[Faraaz Damji]

   The effects of Hurricane Isabel in Maryland and Washington, D.C. were
   among the worst from a tropical cyclone in the Baltimore-Washington
   Metropolitan Area.  Hurricane Isabel formed from a tropical wave on
   September 6 2003 in the tropical Atlantic Ocean.  It moved
   northwestward, and within an environment of light wind shear and warm
   waters it steadily strengthened to reach peak winds of 165 mph
   (265 km/h) on September 11.  After fluctuating in intensity for four
   days, Isabel gradually weakened and made landfall on the Outer Banks
   of North Carolina with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) on September 18.  It
   quickly weakened over land and became extratropical over western
   Pennsylvania the next day.  On September 19, Tropical Storm Isabel
   passed through extreme western Maryland, though its large circulation
   produced tropical storm force winds throughout the state.  About
   1.24 million people lost power throughout the state.  The worst of its
   effects came from its storm surge, which inundated areas along the
   coast and resulted in severe beach erosion.  In Eastern Maryland,
   hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed, primarily in Queen
   Anne's County from tidal flooding.  Thousands of houses were affected
   in Central Maryland, with severe storm surge flooding reported in
   Baltimore and Annapolis.  Washington, D.C. sustained moderate damage,
   primarily from the winds.  Throughout Maryland and Washington, damage
   totaled about $820 million, with only one direct fatality due to
   flooding.

Read the rest of this article:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Isabel_in_Maryland_and_Washington%2C_D.C.


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Today's selected anniversaries:

1572:
   French Wars of Religion: Marguerite de Valois was married to
   Huguenot King Henry of Navarre, in a supposed attempt to reconcile
   Protestants and Catholics in France.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marguerite_de_Valois)

1868:
   Pierre Janssen discovered helium while analyzing the chromosphere
   during a total eclipse of the sun.  This was the first element detected
   in space before being found on Earth.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/helium)

1941:
   The T-4 Euthanasia Program in Nazi Germany was temporarily halted
   due to public resistance.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_T4)

1966:
   Vietnam War: A company of the Royal Australian Regiment fought a
   much larger North Vietnamese unit in the Battle of Long Tan.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Long_Tan)


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Wiktionary's Word of the day:

   pretzel: A toasted bread or cracker usually in the shape of a loose
   knot.
   (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pretzel)


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Wikiquote of the day:

   What we say is the truth is what everybody accepts ... Psychiatry:
   it's the latest religion.  We decide what's right and wrong.  We decide
   who's crazy or not.  I'm in trouble here.  I'm losing my faith.  --
   Madeleine Stowe as "Dr.  Kathryn Railly" in Twelve Monkeys
   (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Madeleine_Stowe)