With trees knocked down and power out, residents and businesses impacted by Friday evening's powerful storm in the Baltimore area spent Saturday assessing damage.
The National Weather Service said Saturday that its crews were in the area to determine if the storm was strong enough to be considered a tornado. FOX45 News meteorologist Gerard Jebaily said the damage in Dundalk was from a "probable weak tornado."
Dundalk and other areas along the water east of Baltimore City were especially hit hard by the storm.
A large tree was uprooted and a telephone pole fell as a result of the storm on Inverton Road. They landed between two residential buildings and damaged a yard fence.
On adjacent streets near the waterfront, Baltimore County crews were picking up downed leaves and branches.
Dundalk resident Rick Horseman told The Baltimore Sun he was driving home from visiting his girlfriend along Merritt Boulevard as the storm passed through.
"I was coming back from her place. I got on there and the wind was kicking the cars every which way," said Horseman, 71.
Horseman said it was fortunate that no one was hurt by overgrown tree branches falling on his street.
On Saturday, Baltimore Gas and Electric crews were repairing power lines on Merritt Boulevard and Dundalk Avenue. BGE expects to restore service to 80% of customers by 8 p.m. Saturday and "the vast majority" of all customers by Sunday night, according to a message on the company's website. Thousands lost power after the storm rolled through the Baltimore area.
In Baltimore City, the roof of Merritt Clubs Canton was partially torn off by the storm -- prompting the fitness center to close that location. Canton's THB Bagelry and Deli also closed due to "significant roof damage" from the storm, according to an email to customers Saturday morning.
In Hampstead, a lightning strike and subsequent fire prompted gas service to be turned off in the North Carroll Farms neighborhood. The lightning strike caused corrugated stainless steel tubing to fail, leading to "gas jet" flames that can cause catastrophic structure fires, according to a Facebook post by the Hampstead Volunteer Fire Co.
"As the entire area had signs of compromise from this event, it was determined that we needed to secure the gas to all townhomes to ensure that this event did not occur in any other home," the post reads.