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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Average Monthly Temperature, 2022
A Delmarva Treasure
Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore
Somerset | Wicomico | Worcester
East of 38 31' 29" N
South of 75 51' 11" W
South of 75 51' 11" W
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies predominantly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and consists of nine counties. The term” Eastern Shore" distinguishes a territorial part of the state of Maryland from the Western Shore of Maryland, land west of the Chesapeake Bay.
The southern part of Maryland’s Eastern Shore is called the Lower Eastern Shore and is characterized by its predominately rural landscape which features farmland, pine forests, marshes, and beaches. The counties comprising the Lower Eastern Shore are Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. Population centers include Berlin, Crisfield, Ocean City (particularly during summer months), Ocean Pines, Pocomoke City, Princess Anne, Salisbury (Metro Core includes Fruitland and Delmar, MD), and Snow Hill. Numerous small streams and larger creeks can be found throughout the area. The Atlantic Ocean, Tangier Sound, Chincoteague, and Sinexpuxent bays and the Nanticoke, Wicomico, Manokin, and Big Annemessex Rivers are the major waterways in this area.
Regional Climate
Insulated by Water
The region has reasonably mild seasonal temperatures. High temperatures occur in July and August, the warmest months. Low temperatures occur in January and February, the coldest months. Average relative humidity is lower in the winter and early spring, from February through April, and highest in the late summer and early fall, from August through October.
Recreational activities are favored by summer afternoon temperatures that are generally cooler along the shore and over the water than they are inland.
WATERFRONT COMMUNITY
- 56.9 Mean Average Annual Temperature (F)
- 47.49 Average Annual Precipitation (inches)
- 270 Annual Number of Days Above Freezing
Flood Plain
Natural Resilience
The environment of Somerset County is governed to a great degree by the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay. The County has over 600 miles of shoreline along the Bay and its tributaries, and almost half of the County’s area is water. A considerable amount of the coastal area is marsh or wetlands, and the high water table underlying the remaining land area places severe restraints on development.
Much of western Somerset County is within the 100-year floodplain, the vast majority of which is a tidal floodplain along tidal waters. There are also areas within the 100-year floodplain to the south and east of Hopewell and Marion.
Flooding occurs periodically in some areas of Wicomico County. The majority of Wicomico County community lifelines and public facilities vulnerable to the flood hazard are located in and around Salisbury and the unincorporated areas of the County, which are intersected by the Nanticoke and Wicomico Rivers.
Worcester County is Maryland’s only seaside county, with 31 miles of ocean beach. One third of the county is within the Maryland Coastal Bays watershed, a unique estuarine ecosystem. In addition, unlike many Maryland counties, Worcester County includes intensely developed areas and areas that are mainly characterized by forested land, wetland and agricultural land.
Worcester County with its low relief faces additional flooding issues. The county’s topography drains slowly. Worcester has 250 miles of artificial drainage ditches, which must be maintained to continue current land use. Several areas of the county commonly flood during storms.
1,465
Land area (square miles)
2,241
Miles of shoreline
5.11%
Land at-risk of sea level rise by mid-century*
*higher emissions scenario
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Climate Mapping For Resilience and Adaptation
Coastal Inundation, 2022
Land Use
In Somerset County, the largest proportion of land has traditionally been used for agriculture and forestry. A significant portion of the county is composed of non-forested tidal marshes and wetlands, due in large part to the fact that nearly fifty percent of the county's total area is composed of water. Land for single-family residential development has been and will continue to be taken from available agricultural lands. Aside from a proposed county-owned industrial park, little changes in commercial or industrial land use areas are expected.
In Wicomico County, nearly two-thirds of land is composed of forests and cropland. This is despite the fact that Salisbury, the largest metropolitan area in the region, is located within the county. As opposed to Somerset County, only twelve percent of the county's total area is water and associated tidal, non-forested wetlands. Pressure for residential and commercial growth in the county continue to increase.
In Worcester County, just over fifty percent of the total area is composed of forest and cropland, with an additional thirty-seven percent consisting of water and tidal, non-forested wetlands. Located in the northern one fourth of the of the county, the resort town of Ocean City and surrounding areas contain the vast majority of urban development. Relatively intense pressure for residential and commercial growth continues to increase in this northern portion of the county.
Chesapeake Conservancy
Land Use
Farm & Forest Lands
Abundant Diversity
The Lower Eastern Shore is home to approximately 1,118 farms spanning 247,238 acres with an average farm size of 227 acres (Delmarva Index Infographic – USDA Agricultural Census, 2017). Production of soybean, corn for grain, wheat, vegetables, barley, forage top the list in crops per acre.
The LESMD Region’s forestry industry is highly integrated into other industries in the local economy, with the value of standing timber being multiplied when converted into further processed products. Nearly all timber supplying local mills is grown locally, with the majority of the resulting products sold outside the region – due in part to the fact that local sawmills are closer in proximity to markets in the Northeast US than competing southern mills. Among the products produced and sold locally are animal bedding from wood shavings, critical to the poultry industry, and pressure treated lumber and piling for marine construction – important to the commercial and sport fishing industries. The primary commercial species is loblolly pine with oak, poplar, maple and sweet gum making up the majority of the balance.
Forestry in the LESMD Region annually contributes nearly $320 million to the state economy (9.2% of state forestry impact), supported 1,369 jobs (9.0% of state forestry job impact), and added $11.8 million in combined state and local tax revenue (9% of state forestry tax impact).
Source: The Impact of Resource Based Industries on the Maryland Economy 2018
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National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
Farm and Forest Land Owners, 2017