(Updated at 11:55 a.m.) Arlington County is urging residents to prepare today for Tropical Storm Isaias, which is currently making its way up the East Coast.
While windy conditions and some thunderstorms are likely as Isaias approaches this afternoon and evening, the main threat locally is heavy rain. Forecasters say the tropical storm could dump 3-6 inches of rain on the immediate D.C. area, potentially causing flooding.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for Arlington, D.C. and surrounding areas through Tuesday. A Tropical Storm Watch was upgraded to a Tropical Storm Warning late Monday morning.
The last time such a warning was issued for Arlington was for Hurricane Irene in 2011. That storm caused moderate damage around Arlington, mostly from felled trees.
More on the storm threat and preparations:
Odds are increasing of significant flooding impacts in our area from Tropical Storm Isaias in the late Monday through Tuesday time frame. Stay tuned to latest forecasts from your favorite local media outlet. #DCwx #MDwx #VAwx #WVwx pic.twitter.com/h1jQFlyDq1
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) August 2, 2020
A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for much of central and southern MD, DC, as well as portions of northeastern VA along the I-95 corridor. Flooding rain, wind damage, and tidal flooding are all threats to the area. See https://t.co/NrmMNLJviC for further details. pic.twitter.com/6PFGukknRh
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) August 3, 2020
#Isaias and DC-MD-VA! Short thread…
* Tropical storm and flash flood watch out for large parts of the region
* High confidence in heavy rain. NWS has INCREASED our rain forecast to 4-6" along I-95 corridor, 2-4" to west, 5 to 7" east. (1/x) pic.twitter.com/en6NftxHD2— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) August 3, 2020
Prepare for #Isaias:
– Register for @arlingtonalert
– Update your emergency kit
– Charge electronics in case of power outage
– Photograph important documents and upload them to the cloud in case they're damaged by flooding
– Plan for Wind/Rain: https://t.co/wF06Iv6DtJ https://t.co/zSaDU3BBMU— Ready Arlington (@ReadyArlington) August 2, 2020
The National Weather Service issued the following Tropical Storm Warning for Arlington just after 11 a.m. Monday:
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-
1105 AM EDT MON AUG 3 2020…TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT…
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS TROPICAL STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THIS AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS…
* WIND
– LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS REMAIN POSSIBLE
– PEAK WIND FORECAST: 25-35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH– THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: POTENTIAL FOR WIND 39 TO 57 MPH
– THE WIND THREAT HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT.
– PLAN: PLAN FOR HAZARDOUS WIND OF EQUIVALENT TROPICAL STORM FORCE.
– PREPARE: REMAINING EFFORTS TO PROTECT PROPERTY SHOULD BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PREPARE FOR LIMITED WIND DAMAGE.
– ACT: MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THE WIND BECOMES HAZARDOUS.– POTENTIAL IMPACTS: LIMITED
– DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, SHEDS, AND UNANCHORED MOBILE HOMES. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BLOWN ABOUT.
– MANY LARGE TREE LIMBS BROKEN OFF. A FEW TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED. SOME FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER.
– A FEW ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM DEBRIS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN URBAN OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ON BRIDGES AND OTHER ELEVATED ROADWAYS.
– SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.* STORM SURGE
– LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: LOCALIZED STORM SURGE POSSIBLE
– PEAK STORM SURGE INUNDATION: THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 2 FEET ABOVE GROUND SOMEWHERE WITHIN SURGE PRONE AREAS
– WINDOW OF CONCERN: EARLY TUESDAY MORNING UNTIL TUESDAY EVENING– THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: POTENTIAL FOR STORM SURGE FLOODING GREATER THAN 1 FOOT ABOVE GROUND
– THE STORM SURGE THREAT HAS INCREASED FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT.
– PLAN: THERE IS LITTLE TO NO THREAT OF STORM SURGE FLOODING. ROUGH SURF, COASTAL EROSION, AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ARE POSSIBLE.
– PREPARE: LITTLE TO NO PREPARATIONS FOR STORM SURGE FLOODING ARE NEEDED.
– ACT: FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF LOCAL OFFICIALS. MONITOR FORECASTS.– REALIZED IMPACTS: BEING ASSESSED
– LITTLE TO NO ADDITIONAL SURGE IMPACTS EXPECTED. COMMUNITY OFFICIALS ARE NOW ASSESSING THE EXTENT OF ACTUAL SURGE IMPACTS ACCORDINGLY.* FLOODING RAIN
– LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT
– PEAK RAINFALL AMOUNTS: ADDITIONAL 3-6 INCHES, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS– THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR FLOODING RAIN
– THE FLOODING RAIN THREAT HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT.
– PLAN: EMERGENCY PLANS SHOULD INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAIN. EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES ARE LIKELY.
– PREPARE: STRONGLY CONSIDER PROTECTIVE ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA VULNERABLE TO FLOODING.
– ACT: HEED ANY FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS. FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION WILL LIKELY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE.– POTENTIAL IMPACTS: EXTENSIVE
– MAJOR RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT MANY EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES.
– RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY RAPIDLY OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS IN MULTIPLE PLACES. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, ARROYOS, AND DITCHES MAY BECOME DANGEROUS RIVERS. IN MOUNTAIN AREAS, DESTRUCTIVE RUNOFF MAY RUN QUICKLY DOWN VALLEYS WHILE INCREASING SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ROCKSLIDES AND MUDSLIDES. FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS MAY BECOME STRESSED.
– FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER MANY STRUCTURES WITHIN MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES, SOME STRUCTURES BECOMING UNINHABITABLE OR WASHED AWAY. MANY PLACES WHERE FLOOD WATERS MAY COVER ESCAPE ROUTES. STREETS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME RIVERS OF MOVING WATER WITH UNDERPASSES SUBMERGED. DRIVING CONDITIONS BECOME DANGEROUS. MANY ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES WITH SOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT.* TORNADO
– LATEST LOCAL FORECAST:
– SITUATION IS UNFAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES– THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: TORNADOES NOT EXPECTED
– THE TORNADO THREAT HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT.
– PLAN: TORNADOES ARE NOT EXPECTED. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS MAY STILL OCCUR.
– PREPARE: LITTLE TO NO PREPARATIONS NEEDED TO PROTECT AGAINST TORNADOES AT THIS TIME. KEEP INFORMED OF THE LATEST TORNADO SITUATION.
– ACT: LISTEN FOR CHANGES IN THE FORECAST.– POTENTIAL IMPACTS: LITTLE TO NONE
– LITTLE TO NO POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM TORNADOES.* FOR MORE INFORMATION:
– HTTP://READY.GOV/HURRICANES
NWS also issued the following Flash Flood Watch.
…FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING…
* RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS IS EXPECTED TO START SPREADING NORTHWARD LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY ON TUESDAY. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.
* THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY EVENING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.