Girls’ Firefighting Camp Featured on BBC — The annual girls’ firefighting camp held by Arlington County was the subject of a BBC News video segment, which was published online yesterday. [BBC]
Arlington Treated to ‘Massive’ Rainbow — After yesterday’s downpours, a bright rainbow was visible over Arlington, prompting a photo opportunity that many took advantage of. [Twitter]
Sunday’s Storm on Video — A Pentagon City resident captured one of Sunday’s storms on video, showing torrential rain, strong wind and a screen door that had blown off a building and got stuck in a tree. [YouTube]
Arlington is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning through 5:45 p.m. today (Monday).
The National Weather Service says a strong storm is heading toward Arlington, packing heavy rain and wind.
More from NWS:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… THE CITY OF FAIRFAX IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE NORTHWESTERN CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 545 PM EDT * AT 501 PM EDT, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR FAIRFAX TO MANTUA, MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HAZARD… 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. SOURCE… RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT… DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, CENTREVILLE, RESTON, ANNANDALE, SPRINGFIELD, FAIRFAX, VIENNA, FALLS CHURCH, MANTUA, PIMMIT HILLS, MCLEAN, NATIONALS PARK, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, ROSSLYN, CRYSTAL CITY, RFK STADIUM AND BURKE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… GET INDOORS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM WIND AND LIGHTNING. TREES AROUND YOU MAY BE DOWNED FROM DAMAGING WINDS, SO IF YOU ARE NEAR LARGE TREES, MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. DON’T DRIVE UNDERNEATH TREES OR IN WOODED AREAS UNTIL THE THREAT HAS PASSED. && HAIL… <.75IN WIND… 60MPH
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA, McLean VA until 5:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/HYbSralRVP
(Updated at 7:10 p.m.) More than 8,000 Dominion customers in Arlington lost electricity after a powerful storm blew through the area.
As of 5:30 p.m. Dominion was reporting 8,089 without power in Arlington, including in the Fairlington neighborhood and along Lee Highway. Some traffic lights were said to be dark on Lee Highway, including at the busy intersection of Lee Highway and Fairfax Drive.
As of 7 p.m., the number of outages had fallen to 6,039.
Several instances of downed trees, downed power lines and people stuck in elevators were reported around the county.
Meanwhile, major delays were reported on Metro’s Orange, Silver and Blue lines due to a tree that struck a train near the Dunn Loring station during the storm.
Storm with heavy rain and wind rolls through Pentagon City, but one man in an orange poncho doesn't seem to mind pic.twitter.com/bTlNnZ82xR
Arlington County is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning through 5:15 p.m.
Strong storms are expected to roll through the area shortly.
More from the National Weather Service:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… WEST CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE SOUTHEASTERN CITY OF FALLS CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… EAST CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 515 PM EDT * AT 424 PM EDT, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MCLEAN TO SPRINGFIELD, MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. HAZARD… 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. SOURCE… RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT… DAMAGING WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES TO FALL. THIS COULD INJURE THOSE OUTDOORS, AS WELL AS DAMAGE HOMES AND VEHICLES. ROADWAYS MAY BECOME BLOCKED BY DOWNED TREES. LOCALIZED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, ANNANDALE, CLINTON, SPRINGFIELD, FORT WASHINGTON, FORT HUNT, GROVETON, FORESTVILLE, FALLS CHURCH, HUNTINGTON, CORAL HILLS, NATIONAL HARBOR, NATIONALS PARK, FEDEX FIELD, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, ROSSLYN AND CRYSTAL CITY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… GET INDOORS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM WIND AND LIGHTNING. TREES AROUND YOU MAY BE DOWNED FROM DAMAGING WINDS, SO IF YOU ARE NEAR LARGE TREES, MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. DON’T DRIVE UNDERNEATH TREES OR IN WOODED AREAS UNTIL THE THREAT HAS PASSED. && HAIL… <.75IN WIND… 60MPH
It’s a scorcher of a Bastille Day in the Mid-Atlantic region. Arlington County and other parts of the D.C. area are now under a Heat Advisory.
The National Weather Service reissued the advisory early Friday afternoon as temperatures climbed into the 90s and the heat index hit 105 degrees.
The weather service is also warning of possible storms tonight.
More on the Heat Advisory from NWS:
… HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING. * HEAT INDEX VALUES… AROUND 105 THIS AFTERNOON. * IMPACTS… RISK OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS FOR THOSE WITHOUT AIR- CONDITIONING OR THOSE OUTDOORS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HIGH TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE, RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK, THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY – CALL 911. &&
FRI 12:35 PM: Showers & T-storms developing, will increase in coverage this afternoon. Also, Heat Advisory issued for the metropolitan areas pic.twitter.com/q6HvihtMeJ
At 259 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Reston, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE…Radar indicated.
IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.
Earlier: The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Arlington County, in effect until 9 p.m. tonight.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of DE, DC, MD, NJ, PA, VA until 9 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/x2iwMd6Gec
The watch spreads across an area covering six states on the East Coast. NWS warns of isolated hailstones the size of ping pong balls, wind gusts up to 70 mph and frequent lightning.
STORM TEAM 4 WEATHER ALERT: If you live in an area shaded in pink , severe T'storms are possible this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/ZJejtYU7eg
Widening of W&OD Trail Studied — The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is considering a proposal to widen the W&OD Trail in parts of Arlington, Falls Church and Fairfax County. The proposal also calls for separating pedestrians and cyclists along the widened portions of trail. [The Wash Cycle]
Stormy Weather Expected Over the Next 24 Hours — The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy are expected to bring heavy rain and scattered storms to the area between now and Saturday morning. Most of the rain is expected to fall early Saturday. [Twitter, Capital Weather Gang]
Lawmakers Confronted at DCA — Protesters confronted lawmakers returning home to their districts at Reagan National Airport yesterday. They were protesting against the proposed GOP health care bill, holding signs like “don’t take away our healthcare” and “Medicaid matters.” [The Hill]
Middle School Students Burning Books — Yesterday, on the last day of middle school in Arlington, the fire department was called for a report of middle school students burning books in a field. An ACFD spokesperson could not be reached for additional information. [Twitter]
Last Day of School — High school is already out and the Class of 2017 has held its graduation ceremonies. Middle school ended yesterday. Today elementary students will have their last half-day before Arlington Public Schools is officially on summer break until Tuesday, Sept. 5. [Arlington Public Schools]
Power outage in Clarendon on 6/19/17 (via Dominion)
Storm clouds approaching Clarendon on 6/19/17
Wilson Blvd and 10th Street N westbound lights out
Wilson Blvd and 10th Street N southbound lights out
Weather radar at 3:45 p.m. on 6/19/17 (via Weather.com)
Clarendon power outage on 6/19/17 (photo by Brooke Giles)
Clarendon power outage on 6/19/17 (photo by Brooke Giles)
Clarendon power outage on 6/19/17 (photo by Brooke Giles)
Clarendon power outage on 6/19/17 (photo by Brooke Giles)
Update at 7:50 p.m. — The number of outages in Arlington is down to 200, according to Dominion.
Earlier: More than 5,500 Dominion customers are without power in Arlington following this afternoon’s storms, mostly in and around the Clarendon area.
The Clarendon outage extends from Wilson Blvd down to N. Bedford Street in Lyon Park, near Route 50. Numerous businesses in the area are without power and the busy intersection of Washington Blvd and 10th Street N.
As of 4:50 p.m. Dominion was reporting 5,542 outages in Arlington, with some smaller outages scattered throughout the county. There have also been reports of trees and utility wires down in the roadway in various locations, and at least one tree that fell and damaged a house.
The Arlington County Police Department is reminding drivers to treat dark traffic signals as a four-way stop.
TRAFFIC ALERT ⚠️: Reports of traffic signal outages in County due to storm. Treat all uncontrolled intersections as 4 way stop @ArlingtonDES
View of the Potomac and Roosevelt Island from Rosslyn
Roosevelt Island (photo via Google Maps)
Roosevelt Island bridge (Flickr pool photo by David Bender)
Roosevelt Island by J.D. Moore
Roosevelt Island near Rosslyn is closed today due to tree damage from insects and today’s impending storms.
The National Park Service made the announcement this morning.
The park service says numerous trees have been severely weakened by the invasive emerald ash borer and will be removed in the coming weeks. More from NPS:
Theodore Roosevelt Island is closed for safety in advance of expected thunderstorms, some severe with high winds, this afternoon though this evening. The island will remain closed until tree crews can assess and address damage or new hazards.
A recent tree survey on Theodore Roosevelt Island found extensive damage to trees along the island’s trails from the invasive and deadly emerald ash borer. These diseased and dead ash trees are at an increased risk of falling, especially during storms.
Theodore Roosevelt Island is one of many parks in the Greater Washington Area hit hard by emerald ash borer. The island has many ash trees throughout its 88 acres that have been infected with the exotic beetle. The pest is highly destructive, killing ash trees within two to three years once infected. Dead ash trees rapidly become dry, brittle and hazardous. There is no known cure; once a tree is infected, it will die.
In the coming weeks, crews are expected to begin the removal of the affected trees. More information will be provided in the coming days.
Heavy rains and severe storms may make for a challenging evening commute today (Monday).
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch, warning of 1-2 inches of rain or more this evening. (See below.)
NWS and local authorities are also cautioning that some storms today may be severe.
Intense thunderstorms will likely develop this afternoon into this evening. Main threats: flash flooding and locally damaging wind gusts. pic.twitter.com/gV6UwOoEDa
… FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WATCH… * FROM 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING * A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS FRONT SOME OF WHICH COULD PRODUCE INTENSE RAINFALL RATES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING. * FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS, STREAMS AND ROADWAYS WILL BE POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE 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. &&
