Hurricane Irene produced heavy flooding rain, tropical storm force wind gusts and caused one wind related death across the Eastern Shore. Preliminary damage estimates were around three million dollars and approximately 85,000 homes and businesses lost power. Power was not fully restored until September 1st. The combination of heavy rain and wind closed numerous roadways across the Eastern Shore and downed thousands of trees. Some schools were unable to open on Monday August 29th. There was a temporary ban on harvesting shellfish along Chesapeake Bay because of the excessive runoff.  Some tomato, corn, watermelon and cantaloupe crops were destroyed. It was estimated that 30,000 chickens were also killed by the effects of Irene.
Tropical storm force wind gusts overspread the Eastern Shore during the afternoon and early evening of the 27th and persisted into the afternoon of the 28th. Peak wind gusts averaged 50 to 60 mph. The strongest winds associated with Irene occurred at two distinct times. The first surge occurred during bands of heavier rain during the evening and late night of the 27th. The second peak occurred during the late morning and early afternoon of the 28th when skies were clearing and deeper mixing of the atmosphere brought stronger winds to the ground. The rain associated with Irene overspread the Eastern Shore between 7 a.m. EDT and Noon EDT on the 27th, fell at its heaviest from the late afternoon of the 27th into the early morning of the 28th and ended around Noon EDT on the 28th. Event precipitation totals averaged 6 to 12 inches and caused widespread field and roadway flooding. Because the flash flooding and flooding blended into one, all flooding related county entries were combined into one under flood events.
On August 25, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley declared a state of emergency in preparation for Irene. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge was closed to vehicular traffic. In Queen Anne's County, in Queenstown, an 88-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on a chimney, sending bricks through the glass roof of a sun room where she had taken refuge since it had emergency power. About 13,000 utility customers lost power.   Sections of Maryland State Routes 18, 19 and 802 were also closed because of high winds and or debris on roadways. In Cecil County, sections of Maryland State Routes 273, 213 and 272 were closed. About seventy-percent of all Delmarva Power customers lost power. In Kent County, multiple parts of Maryland State Routes 20 and 445 were closed. In all twenty-seven roadways were closed by downed trees. In Talbot County, debris closed Maryland State Route 662C. About 100 properties and 50 roadways and bridges were damaged by the flooding and wind. In Caroline County, sections of Maryland State Routes 287, 313, 31 and 311 were among twenty roadways that were closed. Two dozen homes were damaged by the flooding and wind. About 5,500 homes and businesses lost power.
The highest wind gusts recorded during Hurricane Irene were 61 mph in Salisbury (Wicomico County), 60 mph in Tolchester Beach (Kent County) and 51 mph at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
Hurricane Irene formed east of the Leeward Islands on Saturday the 20th. It moved northeast and passed over Puerto Rico overnight on the 21st. As Irene moved off the island, it intensified into a hurricane. Irene just bypassed the island of Hispaniola to its north and then passed over the Eastern Bahamas on the 25th as it reached category three hurricane strength. From the Bahamas, Irene moved nearly due north and slowly weakened to a category two hurricane on the 26th and a category one hurricane on the 27th. Irene made her initial landfall near Cape Lookout, North Carolina at 8 a.m. EDT on the 27th and then proceeded to the northnortheast and went back over the Atlantic Ocean near the Virginia and North Carolina border at 7 p.m. EDT on the 27th. From there Irene paralleled the Delmarva Peninsula and the center passed about 15 miles east of Delaware between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. EDT on the 28th. Irene made her second landfall as a tropical storm on Brigantine Island, just north of Atlantic City, New Jersey at 535 a.m. EDT on the 28th.

Flash Flood in CAROLINE, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 19:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: MARYDEL
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flash Flood in TALBOT, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 19:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: TILGHMAN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flash Flood in QUEEN ANNE'S, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 19:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: LOVE PT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flash Flood in KENT, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 20:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 06:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: BETTERTON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flash Flood in CECIL, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 22:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: CONOWINGO ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tropical Storm in CAROLINE, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 14:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 135.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tropical Storm in CECIL, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 14:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 110.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tropical Storm in KENT, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 14:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 550.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tropical Storm in TALBOT, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 14:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tropical Storm in QUEEN ANNES, MARYLAND
From 27-AUG-11 14:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 550.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flood in QUEEN ANNE'S, MARYLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: LOVE PT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 550.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flooding rains forced the closure of Maryland State Route 300 at Dudley Corner Road.  Event rainfall totals included 4.70 inches in Stevensville.

Flood in TALBOT, MARYLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: BAR NECK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flooding rains forced the closure of sections of Maryland State Routes 565A, 329, 328 and 33. The combination of flooding and tropical storm winds damaged 100 properties and 50 roadways and bridges   Roadway damage alone was estimated at $750,000. Event rainfall totals included 11.50 inches in Beechwood, 10.68 inches in North Easton, 9.75 inches in Easton, 9.48 inches in Papermill Pond, 9.40 in Bellevue and 9.12 inches in Trappe.

Flood in KENT, MARYLAND
From 28-AUG-11 06:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: BETTERTON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 550.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

About a dozen roadways were closed by flooding. In Millington (along the Chester River) the flooding was described as the worst since Hurricane Floyd. Several people were rescued from stranded vehicles. The Sassafras River also flooded along the county line with Cecil County.

Flood in CECIL, MARYLAND
From 28-AUG-11 07:00:00 to 28-AUG-11 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: CONOWINGO ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 110.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The Big Elk Creek flooded businesses in Elkton on and around South Bridge Street. The Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills had moderate flooding and was above its 9 foot flood stage from 1157 p.m. EDT on the 27th through 931 a.m. EDT on the 28th. It crested at 10.31 feet at 1245 a.m. EDT on the 28th. Event rainfall totals included 7.19 inches in Cherry Hill, 6.86 inches in Fair Hills and 5.74 inches in Elkton.

Flood in CAROLINE, MARYLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: DESSARD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

In Caroline County, about two dozen homes and businesses were damaged by flooding and wind. Flooding occurred along the Choptank River in Greensboro. Flooding also occurred along the Marshyhope Creek in Federalsburg. Flooding rains forced the closure of sections of Maryland State Routes 313, 619, 314 and 480. In all the combination of wind and flooding rain closed twenty roadways in the county. Auction Road near Harmony was hardest hit and took weeks to re-open. Event rainfall totals included 11.68 inches in Denton, 10.50 inches in Hickman and 9.58 inches in Greensboro.