Now a tropical depression after landfall in the Florida Panhandle, the bulk of the storm is expected to stay west of the metro area, tracking over West Virginia. But Arlington and surrounding areas are still expected to get soaked by heavy rains caused by Fred.
The National Weather Service this evening issued a Flash Flood Watch for the area, starting at 8 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) and extending to 10 p.m. Wednesday.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect this evening through Wed evening. The remnants of Fred will move north along the Appalachians. Frequent showers and embedded thunderstorms will result in rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Rain totals of 3 inches possible. pic.twitter.com/YyA3j9aZKr
* Multiple rounds of heavy showers and thunderstorms will affect the region from this evening through Wednesday evening. Tropical moisture will lead to potential precipitation rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Localized storm total rain amounts in excess of 3 inches are possible.
* Heavy rain over a short amount of time may result in rapid rises on streams and creeks and in urbanized and poor drainage areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
Update at 12:30 a.m. — Parts of north Arlington are under another Flash Flood Warning after a heavy downpour soaked the area late Monday night. Another round of heavy rain is approaching the area.
Flash Flood Warning including Arlington VA, Silver Spring MD, Bethesda MD until 2:30 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/woKHUQEpjc
We get a brief break, but more heavy rain should arrive around or shortly after 1 a.m.; another half inch to an inch is possible throughout D.C. and surrounding counties.
Earlier: Arlington and surrounding areas are under a new Flash Flood Warning Monday evening.
An area of very heavy heavy rain is moving north into Alexandria and Arlington. The rain is likely to cause flash flooding, forecasters say.
More from the National Weather Service:
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
524 PM EDT MON AUG 16 2021
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR… CENTRAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… WEST CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
* UNTIL 815 PM EDT.
* AT 524 PM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN MOVING INTO THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITHIN AN HOUR. FLASH FLOODING IS ONGOING OR EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.
If you live/work/are in the area circled in green, heavy rain is forming, this will cause FLASH FLOODING (rapidly rising water). If you are near an area where this has happened before, take note especially! pic.twitter.com/ooHMkGyXpD
Update at noon — The Flash Flood Watch has been cancelled.
Earlier: Arlington County is under a Flash Flood Watch through Monday evening.
The watch, which went into effect at 8 a.m., warns of the possibility of heavy downpours that could cause sudden flooding.
From the National Weather Service:
A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for portions of the area from Monday AM through Monday PM. Showers and scattered thunderstorms may produce heavy rain, which could lead to instances of flash flooding in the watch area. Details: https://t.co/WQsgjJ7UbW#TurnAroundDontDrownpic.twitter.com/ssRJvYzKrT
…FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON…
The Flash Flood Watch continues for
* A portion of northern Virginia, including the following areas: Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park and Southern Fauquier.
* From 8 AM EDT Monday through Monday afternoon.
* Showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop just after daybreak Monday morning and persist through the first half of the afternoon. The stronger thunderstorms may be capable of producing 2 to 4 inches of rain per hour.
* This much rain in a short amount of time would result in rapid rises on streams and creeks and in urbanized and poor drainage areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
Today’s flooding potential follows flash flooding in parts of Arlington early Sunday morning. Mobile phones buzzed with a Flash Flood Warning after midnight, as storms dumped torrential rainfall at a rate of upwards of 6 inches per hour.
ATTENTION #DC#Alexandria#Fairfax#FallsChurch and #Arlington! This storm system is producing up to 3 inches of rain in 30 MINUTES. FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT! Stay put, or get ready to move to high ground if you're in a flood prone area.
Today’s rain is just the start of what’s expected to be a busy week. More downpours, plus the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred, will bring additional flood threats through Thursday, forecasters say.
Fast forward to today and two of the bridges that suffered the worst damage in the July 2019 storm — at Glencarlyn and Lubber Run parks — are set be replaced over the next year, and should be ready by the summer and fall of 2022, respectively.
The work is a long time in coming for cyclists and the Bicycle Advisory Committee, which has been asking for regular updates since the flooding. Cycling advocate and former BAC President Gillian Burgess said while roads were quickly repaired for travel, cyclists missing the Glencarlyn bridge have spent the last two years taking long detours or wading through shallow portions of Four Mile Run to reach the other side.
“It’s still not clear to me why all these steps take so much longer for a pedestrian bridge than they would for a street,” Burgess said. She added that of all the bridges destroyed, the Glencarlyn bridge near 301 S. Harrison Street “is by far the most important bridge for connectivity.”
That’s because the bridge provides the most direct access to the Long Branch Nature Center from the W&OD Trail, she said. It also provides cyclists a crossing to get to the Lubber Run trails to the north.
A parks department spokeswoman said the county prioritizes projects based on factors like use and need.
“The County repairs and replaces pedestrian bridges within its park system using a systematic approach, strategically repairing or replacing the most heavily used or most heavily deteriorated bridges until the point is reached that all bridges are in good repair,” Department of Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Susan Kalish said.
According to Burgess, the department has cited finding funding and navigating the permitting and review processes as sources of delays between 2019 and 2021.
Kalish said progress is being made on two bridges, funding for which was included in the county’s 2022-2024 Capital Improvement Plan.
“The County is currently designing a new bridge to replace the one damaged near the dog park at Glencarlyn Park,” she said. The new bridge, in the same location as the last bridge, should be completed by summer 2022, she said.
Location of the pedestrian bridge over Four Mile Run (via Google Maps)
For now, conditions are sub-optimal for trail users, Burgess said. The current detour adds about 20-30 minutes to those on foot. For cyclists, the problem with the detour is not necessarily the added time, but the fact that it’s along a trail that is badly paved with steep sections.
Most cyclists opt to descend into the stream and wade across at one of two fords to the north and south of the bridge. To the north, cyclists ascend near picnic shelters, where the trail is sometimes blocked by park cars. But the biggest problem for crossing via the north or south ford is the terrain.
“It’s a steep hill down and a steep hill up,” Burgess said. As for the trail itself, she said, “I don’t bike with kids on it. When I’m by myself, I worry about the bike not making it because of the blind curves and lots of hills.”
Cyclist and nearby resident Amanda Lowenberger said that for her and her family, “this is nothing more than a daily inconvenience, but one we can afford.”
She said she doesn’t mind occasionally wading through the stream but would like the bridge re-built soon.
“I do volunteer stream water monitoring for the county, and I have a 9-year-old who likes to splash around in the water, so I end up in the stream on a regular basis,” she said. “But still, it would be great to have that bridge as an option again.”
Update at 1:50 p.m. — In addition to the Flash Flood Watch, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch was just issued for the area. Damaging winds, hail and torrential downpours are possible, forecasters say.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 11 PM. Main risk is damaging winds. pic.twitter.com/gVYqxvoZed
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 17, 2021
Earlier: Storms packing heavy downpours could cause sudden flooding later today.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Arlington and much of the region. The watch is in effect starting at 2 p.m. this afternoon, until early morning Sunday.
More from NWS:
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the DC/Baltimore metro areas and NE MD from 2 PM Saturday to 2 AM Sunday. Visit https://t.co/mmugHm40M2 for safety tips during potential flood events. pic.twitter.com/q3P11a3jRq
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 17, 2021
…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE
SATURDAY NIGHT…
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a
* Flash Flood Watch for portions of DC, Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: in DC, District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Cecil, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Northern Baltimore, Northwest Harford, Prince Georges, Southeast Harford and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria and Fairfax.
* From Saturday afternoon through late Saturday night.
* Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are expected Saturday afternoon through Saturday evening, potentially lingering into early Sunday morning. Localized rainfall amounts of up to 1-2 inches per hour will be possible at times. Total rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches, with locally higher amounts possible.
* Heavy rain in short periods of time will cause the potential for streams and creeks to quickly rise out of their banks as well as the potential for flash flooding in urban areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
Earlier: The Arlington County Fire Department responded to “multiple calls for service” after a Tornado Warning was issued for parts of the county.
The fire department said shortly after 9 p.m. that it was swamped with calls and was “prioritizing life threatening emergencies.” Among the most serious calls were a man trapped after a tree fell on his house and an overturned vehicle near Columbia Pike.
“Calls for downed trees, stuck elevators and downed power lines are being addressed as units are available,” ACFD said on social media.
The National Weather Service says it will be surveying storm damage in Arlington to determine whether a tornado touched down.
“The National Weather Service will conduct a preliminary, first-look storm survey tonight in Arlington the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County,” NWS said in a statement. “We will perform a preliminary assessment to determine whether wind damage that occurred… was caused by a tornado or straight line winds.”
The final assessment is expected to be released on Friday.
The storm caused widespread damage and power outages in the county, mostly north of Route 50. As of 11:15 p.m., over 11,000 Dominion customers were still without power in Arlington, according to the power company.
Power outages in Arlington as of 10 p.m. (via Dominion)
Among the reported incidents first responders were dispatched to tonight were a tree down on a house with a man trapped on 16th Street N., several blocks from Washington-Liberty High School; an overturned vehicle on Washington Blvd north of Columbia Pike; and a tree on a car on Route 50 and N. Fillmore Street.
The person pinned in the house by the fallen tree has been rescued and brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the fire department said. Two other people were reportedly in the house at the time but made it out okay, according to scanner traffic.
Two people were reported to have suffered significant injuries in the crash involving an overturned vehicle on Washington Blvd, near the Columbia Pike exit ramp. The crash happened around the same time as the storm struck. The two injured people were transported via ambulance to a local trauma center.
There were numerous other reports of trees, light poles and utility lines down, including at:
N. Kirkwood Road and 13th Street N.
Washington Blvd and Route 50
N. George Mason Drive and 22nd Street N.
N. Utah Street and 20th Street N.
N. Buchanan Street and 22nd Road N.
N. Upton Street and 20th Road N.
Columbia Pike and S. Adams Street
McKinley Road and 9th Road N.
N. Illinois Street and 22nd Street S.
N. Highland Street and Key Blvd
21st Street N. and N. Nottingham Street
Spout Run Parkway at Lorcom Lane
1500 block of S. Clark Street
The likely tornado path, based on weather radar and damage reports, would have taken it east from the Falls Church area, to the Waverly Hills neighborhood and the area around Washington-Liberty High School, and finally over into central portions of the District including the National Mall and Nationals Park.
Tornado Warned storm left rotation track right through the middle of Washington, D.C. around 9:10 PM! Trees down in Falls Church, winds gusted >50 southeast of DC! #DCwxpic.twitter.com/l83k7kiia6
Residents are being encouraged to stay home or take “extreme caution” if out tonight due to the storm damage.
If you are in Arlington, DC, or nearby in the greater metro area: use extreme caution if out and about tonight. There are likely lots of hanging branches and leaning trees from earlier storms which may fall overnight. Avoid wooded areas, downed wires, and flooded or closed roads.
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 2, 2021
The urgent alerts for the Tornado Warning sounded just before 9 p.m. as a line of strong storms approached. Arlington was also currently under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and a Flash Flood Warning.
The original warning, from the National Weather Service:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING…
* UNTIL 930 PM EDT.
* AT 858 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER BALLSTON, OR OVER ARLINGTON, MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
HAZARD…TORNADO.
SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.
IMPACT…FOR THOSE IN THE DIRECT PATH OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN, FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT SHELTER. DAMAGE TO ROOFS, SIDING, AND WINDOWS MAY OCCUR. MOBILE HOMES MAY BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY.
* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR… CRYSTAL CITY AROUND 905 PM EDT. NATIONALS PARK, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, ANACOSTIA AND US CAPITOL AROUND 910 PM EDT.
Video footage from around the time of the warning shows dark clouds bearing down on the county as very strong winds whip up, and the shadowy outline of what looks somewhat like a funnel cloud.
Hope you don’t mind my cropping. It might just be shadows playing tricks… But lowering (and twist?) from dark area in middle of frame sure looks suspicious. Good correlation to radar velo (by my estimate). Hope Twitter video compression doesn’t kill. pic.twitter.com/bkNRRbSX1s
Update at 4:15 p.m. — The earlier severe thunderstorm watch and warning have both been cancelled.
Update at 3:40 p.m. — Just over 1,400 Dominion customers in Arlington are without power, according to preliminary numbers from the power company’s website.
Update at 3:30 p.m. — A 58 mph wind gust was recorded at Reagan National Airport, according to the National Weather Service. Some downed trees and power outages are being reported around Arlington as the storm dies down.
Update at 3:20 p.m. — A Flash Flood Warning has been issued amid ongoing heavy rains. From NWS:
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
314 PM EDT THU JUL 1 2021
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR… DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… EAST CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…
* UNTIL 615 PM EDT.
* AT 314 PM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1 INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA. FLASH FLOODING IS ONGOING OR EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.
IMPACT…LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS, URBAN AREAS, HIGHWAYS, STREETS AND UNDERPASSES.
Update at 2:55 p.m. — Arlington is now under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. Take cover!
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA, Alexandria VA until 3:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/GRiN0pbcVV
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 1, 2021
Update at 12:45 p.m. — A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has now been issued for the region.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of DE, DC, MD, NJ, PA, VA until 8 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/sOkYmuP7Kr
— NWS Severe Tstorm (@NWSSevereTstorm) July 1, 2021
Earlier: It’s dry now, but expect rain and storms later this afternoon and evening.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Arlington and other parts of the region, starting at 2 p.m. and running through Friday morning. Forecasters are also warning that storms may pack damaging winds in addition to downpours.
More from the National Weather Service:
The Flash Flood Watch continues…
* From 2 PM EDT this afternoon through Friday morning.
* Several rounds of thunderstorms are expected this afternoon through early Friday morning with localized rainfall rates of up to 1-2 inches per hour possible. Total rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches, with locally higher amounts up to 4 inches are possible.
* Heavy rain in short periods of time will cause the potential for streams and creeks to quickly rise out of their banks as well as the potential for flash flooding in urban areas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
A Flash Flood Watch has been issued from Thursday Afternoon through Friday morning for counties east of the Blue Ridge. Showers and thunderstorms can produce heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding. #MDwx#VAwx#DCwx#WVwxpic.twitter.com/iVbjd7JMgD
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 30, 2021
An active weather day across this region with multiple rounds of showers/thunderstorms expected. Portions of the area are in a Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms, while others are in a Flash Flood Watch. Stay weather ready and be prepared to take shelter if a storm approaches. pic.twitter.com/wkhbMWRKo9
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 1, 2021
A Slight risk of severe storms is forecast for late this morning into the afternoon in portions of the Mid-Atlantic. Damaging winds will be the primary hazard. More details and forecast updates: https://t.co/QMmU4tkoeTpic.twitter.com/eHAUTtbLZP
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) July 1, 2021
A cold front is likely to bring slow-moving thunderstorms and downpours to the D.C. area later today.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch, which takes effect at noon, cautioning of the possibility of 2-4 inches of rain falling in a short period of time. Such rainfall could cause flash flooding, as happened nearly two years ago.
More from NWS:
…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM NOON EDT TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING…
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a
* Flash Flood Watch for portions of DC…Maryland…Virginia and West Virginia…
* From Noon EDT today through this evening
* A cold front will drop southward into the area today. This front will become the focus for slow moving thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Because of the slow motion and ample moisture in the atmosphere, storms may drop 2 to 4 inches of rain a short period of time, resulting in flash flooding.
* Heavy rainfall in a short amount of time can result in rapid rises of water in streams, creeks, and urban areas.
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.
The county intends to demolish the home at 6415 24th Street N. and use the property to make improvements “that would help alleviate or reduce the severity of localized flooding,” Stormwater Communications Manager Aileen Winquist tells ARLnow.
The county acknowledged it doesn’t have to buy the property to make the upgrades, but these kinds of purchases could give it flexibility with solutions.
After the July deluge, county staff evaluated flood-prone areas to find properties that the county could buy and use for stormwater infrastructure improvements, according to a staff report. This property, valued at $683,800, is one of the four high-priority locations that the county identified.
“The agreement is the first negotiated acquisition to be considered by the County Board as part of this program,” the report said.
The County Board is slated to approve the purchase from the home’s owners during its meeting this Saturday.
Winquist said the locations of the three other properties, whose owners were currently not interested in selling, are available via a public records request.
The Department of Environmental Services has not yet settled on the mitigation approach it will take on the 24th Street N. property, which has not been repaired since the flooding, Winquist said.
“The County is still analyzing projects to reduce flood risk in this watershed, which may include upgrading that section of pipe or storm drain,” she said. “The County is exploring the use of this property for infrastructure, detention, or overland relief as part of a larger-scale solution.”
During the 2019 storm, some nearby homes in the neighborhood experienced flooding, “but not to the extent of this property,” Winquist said.
The county will demolish the structure starting at least six months after the sale, expecting to spend some $200,000 to $250,000 to do so. The sellers plan to allow the nonprofit Second Chance to salvage materials from the home ahead of demolition.
Property owners can contact the county to have their property considered for the program, but the county will have to consider such acquisitions carefully given the complexity of the flood mitigation solutions, Winquist said.
Although voters approved a $50.8 million bond in November for various stormwater projects, the county said the money for the property purchase wouldn’t come from that.
The County Board voted this weekend on an agreement with the City of Alexandria to dredge Four Mile Run in order to help mitigate flooding.
The neighboring jurisdictions will split the costs related to permitting, designing, construction, and dredging Four Mile Run, from around I-395 to the Potomac River.
“It’s time for us to undertake a joint dredging project so we can project that part of the county from flooding to the maximum extent possible,” said Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti at Saturday’s Board meeting.
The dredging — which will remove built-up sediment and debris from the bottom of the waterway — is expected to cost about $3.6 million, with each jurisdiction paying about $1.8 million.
The project is expected to get under way in the late summer or early fall, and will take approximately four months, Aileen Winquist of Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services tells ARLnow.
The work comes after the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) most recent inspection report gave the state of Four Mile Run a rating of unacceptable. The Corps built a levee system along Four Mile Run in the 1970s and 80s to help with flood mitigation, after a series of devastating floods that inundated Alexandria’s Arlandria neighborhood.
The recent unacceptable rating from USACE was due to “excessive shoaling,” meaning the flood channel is too shallow and can lead to excessive flooding.
“Maintenance of the open channel of Four Mile Run includes clearing of debris, sediment, vegetation, and re-stabilizing stream banks as required by the USACE annual inspection program,” says Winquist. “This maintenance work helps to preserve the flood channel’s capacity and reduce flood risk in neighborhoods surrounding south Four Mile Run.”
The areas around Four Mile Run have flooded a number of times over the past decade, including in 2011, 2017, and in 2019. Flooding two years ago was historic and caused some $6 million in damage to county property alone.
The agreement would also put on paper a long-standing understanding about maintenance of Four Mile Run. The north side will be Arlington’s responsibility and the south side will be Alexandria’s responsibility.
The needed improvements for the Long Branch Tributary will remain the sole fianincal responsibility of Arlington, since it’s within county borders. The budget for the entire project is about $4.7 million with Arlington agreeing to pay $2.56 million and Alexandria paying $2.16 million.
(Updated at 9:30 a.m.) Arlington and much of the D.C. area will be under a Flash Flood Watch on Christmas Eve.
A strong storm is expected to sweep through the area tomorrow afternoon and evening, bringing heavy rain and gusty wind. There may also be a few snowflakes near the end, as temperatures plummet, but no accumulation is expected locally.
More on the flooding potential, from the National Weather Service, is below.
…FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT…
* ONE AND HALF TO TWO AND HALF INCHES OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS AND POSSIBLE RIVER FLOODING.
A strong cold front will push through the region on Christmas Eve. See the graphic below for more details on the weather threats for this system. pic.twitter.com/kM2ZSYZTHu
A powerful and large scale storm will progress from the Central to Eastern U.S. over the next few days. A variety of hazards are expected and will impact millions. All the colors on the map look like Holiday lights or a Christmas tree! pic.twitter.com/FbMNZeylM5
A powerful cold front will bring a variety of impacts to the region today and tonight. Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds are expected. Flash and river flooding may develop in low lying areas. Some of the rain could change to snow as arctic air moves in later tonight.
