Businesses, Homes Damaged By Storm, Wind Damage Mt. Airy Friday Night
MT. AIRY, Md. (WJZ) — A tornado was the cause of damage around Mt. Airy businesses Friday night.
According to the National Weather Service, an EF-1 tornado touched down in Mt. Airy Friday night.
A T.J. Maxx was directly affected in the Twin Arch Shopping Center, off of Twin Arch road at Route 27.
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The video describes blown over items, roof leakages and puddles forming around the store floor.
Trish and Brian Albano said the horror unfolded in a matter of minutes.
"You know how the instinct takes over," They said.
They were inside the TJ Maxx in Mt. Airy when the weather took a dramatic turn. They ran for cover, and then pulled out their phones and began documenting the damage.
"The whole store started shaking strong structure of the store," they said.
Video Credit: Trish Albano.
The couple left the store as soon as they could. Both believe the damage was caused by a possible tornado.
"Just by the length of it, the length of time it was shaking, seemed like it was more than straight line wind," They said.
The winds were powerful, a Highs gas station sitting in front of the TJ Maxx location reportedly as well, with its roof torn off.
The couple said there was no damage to their home, but they believe whatever severe weather struck will definitely mean cleanup in the morning.
"Just driving home we could see there was a lot of damage in the area," they said.
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According to the National Weather Service, the tornado formed in northwest Howard County, one mile south of I-70 around 8:20 p.m.
The tornado quickly moved north along the Patapsco into Carroll County where a number of trees were downed in the Pheasant Ridge area south of I-70.
The storm then quickly moved to the Mt. Airy shopping area - tearing off part of a canopy over the gas pumps at High's Dairy Store -- then removed part of the roof at TJ Maxx. A number of trees also went down in the area behind the shopping center near the water tower.
The tornado continued north taking out the roofs of more buildings and destroying a silo at Knills Farm Market.
It peaked at 100 mph when the tornado crossed Watersville Road, snapping several power lines and trees in the area.
Homes along Arrowwood Circle and Runkles Road saw some damage on their properties.
The tornado damage was last observed on Gillis Falls Road where a few trees were uprooted, before it dissipated.
In Baltimore, an Amazon facility collapsed and roofs were blown off apartment buildings as a tornado touched down in the area.
NWS said the tornado briefly touched down again at the Hollabird East Apartments on 4 Georges Court in Dundalk, pulling off part of its roof.
The damage displaced residents.
This story is developing.
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