storm

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

911 Outage Scrutinized in Electrocution Death — A Falls Church man died on Sunday after being electrocuted by downed lines during the derecho storm on June 29. Bystanders tried calling 911, but couldn’t get through due to the sporadic outages across Northern Virginia. It’s unclear if the man could have been saved had the system not been down. [Washington Post]

Historic Carlin Hall Gets Facelift — The Glencarlyn Civic Association is pleased with the progress of the $500,000 renovation on the 120-year-old Carlin Hall. The project was originally only intended for replacing some siding, but inspectors found many more areas in need of repair. [Arlington Mercury]

Iota Hosting CD Release Party — Sixteen local bands will be on hand at Iota Club and Cafe in Clarendon on Sunday, to celebrate the release of a CD featuring 20 local artists. The CD includes a variety of music, from punk-pop to hip hop. The event kicks off at 7:00 p.m. and admission is $10. [WTOP]

NWS Issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning

By Katie Pyzyk

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, in effect until 10:15 p.m.

This storm is capable of producing strong winds up to 60 miles per hourr.

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EDT
FOR THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA…THE CITY OF FAIRFAX…THE CITY OF FALLS
CHURCH…FAIRFAX…PRINCE GEORGES…ARLINGTON…CHARLES AND
MONTGOMERY COUNTIES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA…

AT 947 PM EDT…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DETECTED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM BETHESDA TO MCLEAN TO BURKE…AND WERE MOVING EAST AT
25 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60
MPH.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS LINE OF STORMS. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH…MOVE
INDOORS TO A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. WHEN IT IS
SAFE TO DO SO…REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

NWS Issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) The National Weather Service has upgraded the previous storm watch to a warning. The warning is now effect until 5:45 p.m.

This is a strong storm that has the potential to bring damaging winds of 60 miles per hour and large hail.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… CENTRAL ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… WESTERN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND…

* UNTIL 545 PM EDT

* AT 500 PM EDT… A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS DETECTED NEAR HOWARD UNIVERSITY… AND WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY… US CAPITOL… NATIONALS PARK… RFK STADIUM… ANACOSTIA… KENILWORTH… CORAL HILLS… SEAT PLEASANT…

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH… MOVE INDOORS TO A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO… REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

NWS Issues Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Heat Advisory

By ARLnow.com

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Arlington and the surrounding region through 9:00 tonight.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening may produce damaging wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.

The area is also under a heat advisory. From NWS:

…HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING…

* HEAT INDEX VALUES…AROUND 105 DEGREES.

* MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES…AROUND 100 IN THE CITIES…UPPER 90S ELSEWHERE EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK ON ELDERLY RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE.

NEVER LEAVE SMALL CHILDREN OR PETS UNATTENDED IN VEHICLES. TEMPERATURES INSIDE THE VEHICLE CAN RAPIDLY CLIMB TO 130 DEGREES.

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.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY – CALL 9 1 1.

Moran Calls for FCC Investigation into 911 Failures

By ARLnow.com

Rep. Jim Moran has joined two other Northern Virginia congressmen in calling for an Federal Communications Commission investigation into failures of the 911 system following the late June derecho storm.

In a press release, Moran said any weakness in the 911 system that could allow similar failures in the future must be fixed.

Today Representatives Jim Moran, Frank Wolf and Gerry Connolly wrote to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling for action to prevent future failures of the 9-1-1 communications system in the wake of the late June “derecho” storm which shut down the emergency phone system in jurisdictions across Northern Virginia and in other Washington-area communities.

“In the event of an emergency situation, whether it be a natural disaster or man-made threat, the public needs confidence that they can get through to 9-1-1 operators,” said Moran. “This storm exposed a weakness in our response system, and now that we know it exists, we must fix it.”

The Congressmen called on the FCC to review and move forward on a past proposal that could have prevented the emergency service outage.

“Events like the 9-1-1 failure in Northern Virginia demand a serious reassessment of this proposed rule and the consideration of additional reforms that could increase the safety of all Americans seeking 9-1-1 emergency services,” the lawmakers wrote.

In 2007, after Hurricane Katrina, the FCC proposed regulations to require phone companies to provide at least eight hours of backup power for all cell phone towers. The proposed regulations were struck down by OMB due to procedural issues related to FCC’s handling of the public comment period, not on the substance of the regulation itself.

The sudden and powerful storms that hit Northern Virginia on July 29th caused more than 460,000 individuals and families to lose power in the midst of a week-long heat wave. Reports of failed phone service began on June 30th, lasting for several days.

The letter from Reps. Connolly, Moran and Wolf, after the jump.

(more…)

Historic Post Oak Cut Down Due to Storm Damage

By Katie Pyzyk

An oak tree that has, for centuries, towered over what is now the Westover neighborhood is being cut down today.

The derecho on June 29 irreparably damaged the historic Post Oak, a majestic 93-foot tall tree that likely dates back to the mid-to-late 1700s. The county decided that the tree, believed to be the oldest in Arlington, had to be removed for the safety of residents.

“What’s remaining is really only about a third of the tree. It had several large trunks coming out of the main trunk, and two of those were broken off,” said Jamie Bartalon with the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation. “As a result, the remaining trunk has quite a bit of decay and the tree is no longer balanced. It could potentially fall.”

Contractors are spending the day cutting down the tree — on the 5800 block of 11th Street N. — in sections. Parts of it will be salvaged instead of being used for mulch. The county is still trying to figure out exactly what to do with the saved portions.

Although the tree’s exact age is unclear, it’s believed to have been around since the 1700s. That would make it not only the oldest tree in Arlington, but also perhaps one of the oldest in the state. Rings will be counted from salvaged sections of the 18-inch circumference trunk to determine exactly how old the tree was.

The Post Oak was designated as a protected “Specimen Tree” by the County Board in 2008.

Bartalon said part of what made it noteworthy besides the age was its height, considering those types of trees are slow growing and typically don’t exceed 50 feet.

The tree should be removed down to the stump by this evening.

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Sunday Storms Flood Long Bridge Drive

By Katie Pyzyk

Although Sunday’s storms didn’t cause the widespread damage Arlington experienced from the June 29 “derecho” storm, the effects are still being felt in parts of the county.

Long Bridge Drive between S. 12th Street and I-395 is completely closed due to flooding. The parking lot at Long Bridge Park is also blocked.

A county public works crew is on the scene dealing with the high water.

Drivers are advised to avoid any flooded areas they may encounter. Do not to attempt to maneuver through standing water, because it could be much higher than it initially appears.

Power Restoration Nearly Complete in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

A week after the powerful storms that left 68,000 Dominion customers in the dark in Arlington, all but four dozen have had their power restored.

As of 2:00 this (Friday) afternoon, 48 Dominion customers were without power. The company says that it expects all known power outages in the area to be restored by later tonight. According to Arlington officials, all county traffic signals are now functioning. Some 96 traffic signals were knocked out by Friday’s storms, largely due to power outages.

In a press release, the county noted that one of Arlington’s most historic trees was a victim of the storms. The Revolutionary War-era  Post Oak (pictured), in the Westover area, is set to be cut down due to wind damage.

“On Monday, County crews plan to remove the ancient Post Oak, believed to be the oldest tree in Arlington and perhaps in the Commonwealth, that was severely damaged during the storm,” the county said.

Dominion and Arlington County crews are continuing to clear downed trees, power lines and debris from around the county. As of this afternoon, 10 county roads are still completely blocked. Arlington officials released the following statement about the continued clean-up efforts.

The County’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation continues to clear partially and completely blocked roads of debris and downed trees. Operations have been complicated by piles of debris unavoidably pushed into some roads during clearing operations by County crews, utility companies and residents. The County’s priority, in clearing debris, is to make it possible for residents, emergency equipment and utility companies to use the streets. We also clear County buildings, sidewalks along heavily traveled roads, and “safety zones” around high-use recreational facilities, such as parks. Once all these priorities are met, crews focus on the clean-up phase.

Five Dept. of Parks and Recreation crews continue to work solely on road-clearing operations, and will continue through the weekend. … The County’s Solid Waste Bureau Earth Products Recycling Yard, located at 4300 29th St. S, will be open Saturday, July 7 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for residents to drop off brush. County crews have collected 768 tons of debris. The County will suspend debris collection on Sunday, to rest crews, some of whom have worked 13 days straight. Cooling centers still available to residents without power.

Even though the vast majority of homes now have power, the county is continuing to advise residents to utilize Arlington’s libraries, community centers, pools and shopping malls in the event that they need to seek relief from this weekend’s expected extreme heat.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Bikeshare Stations Coming to Pike, Trails — A new “Transit Development Plan” for Capital Bikeshare calls for new stations to be installed along Columbia Pike, in Shirlington, at the Pentagon, at Arlington National Cemetery and along the W&OD and Four Mile Run trails. Installation of most of the planned stations is expected to take place in 2013. [The Wash Cycle]

Southwest Comes to DCA — Southwest Airlines will begin operating its first scheduled service from Reagan National Airport on Sunday (July 8). The airline will be flying between DCA and Austin, Texas. [Sun Gazette]

Media Inquiries Prompt Storm Clean-up Work — In at least two instances, calls from media outlets apparently prompted Dominion and Arlington County to send crews to areas of Arlington where trees and wires had been down for days and residents were growing restless. [Washington Post, WJLA]

Resident Uses Girl Scout Skills to Brave Outages — Arlington resident Mary Bielefield says living in a home without power is sort of like camping. The former Girl Scout has been relying on matches, bags of ice, flashlights and a battery-powered radio. [WUSA 9]

Power Restoration, Storm Recovery Update

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) Dominion reports it’s on schedule with restoring power to Arlington residents following last Friday’s storm.

As of 2:30 p.m., Dominion’s outage website showed 1,438 customers without power. That’s down from 3,960 at the same time yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. Dominion reports it’s on track to have electricity restored to nearly all customers by Friday night.

“In a few instances, work in Northern Virginia may continue into Saturday where there was extreme damage,” said Rodney Blevins, Dominion vice president of Electric Distribution Operations, in a statement.

Arlington County says 11 roads remain blocked by trees and wires, down from 17 yesterday. Workers have collected and processed 646 tons of brush since Saturday. Collection efforts are expected to continue for the next two to three weeks.

Due to the power outages and closures, the Arlington Public Library has adjusted due dates for some users. Any checked out materials that were due back between June 30 and July 4 are now due this Saturday, July 7. Materials with any other due date must be returned at the originally designated time.

Flickr pool photo by ddimick

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Neighborhood Thanks Power Crews — A few special guests stopped by the Waycroft-Woodlawn Fourth of July picnic yesterday (see photo, above). The neighborhood invited two hard-working power crews from Ontario, Canada to have a quick lunch with them. “The community clapped and cheered to say thanks,” writes resident Jim Pebley. “Was a nice moment after a long hot couple days.”

Storm Damage at Arlington National Cemetery — Arlington National Cemetery is reporting some significant damage in the wake of last Friday’s storms. The cemetery lost three of its oldest trees, which are all between 225 and 240 years old. In all, 8 large trees were lost and 17 were damaged to the point where they need to be removed. Falling trees also damaged some headstones. The cemetery says the damage is similar to that suffered during Hurricane Irene. The cemetery “continues to assess the extent of the damage and has started on the restoration.” [Arlington National Cemetery]

Hospital Visits Up Last Weekend — The number of patient visits to Virginia Hospital Center were about 30 percent higher than normal last weekend, largely due to heat-related symptoms, especially among the elderly, following Friday’s storms. No heat-related deaths have been reported in Arlington since the storms. [Arlington Mercury]

Tree Destroyed House While Family Was Inside — An Arlington couple and their two young girls were, amazingly, unharmed after a large oak tree came crashing through their house during Friday’s storm. The family was at home at the time. The parents were watching a movie in the basement; they came upstairs to find the girls still sleeping in their beds. [WUSA 9]

Blackwell Re-Elected as RNC Rep — Arlington resident Morton Blackwell — founder of the Courthouse-based Leadership Institute, a conservative political training organization — has been re-elected as Virginia representative to the Republican National Committee. [Sun Gazette]

Photo courtesy Jim Pebley

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