A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for Arlington and much of the rest of the D.C. region. The National Weather Service warns that nearly 3 inches of rain has fallen already today and more heavy rainfall is on the way.
Standing water on roadways has created some dangerous driving conditions in Arlington, and swollen local waterways like Four Mile Run are starting to resemble “class three rapids,” but otherwise few serious problems have been reported around the county so far.
It’s a different story elsewhere in the region. In Montgomery County, cars and their drivers are getting trapped in high standing water.
From the National Weather Service:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING…
* UNTIL 415 PM EDT
* AT 117 PM EDT… NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING. UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 1 INCH CAN BE EXPECTED.
* SOME LOCATIONS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE HEAVY RAIN INCLUDE ANNANDALE… ARLINGTON… BALLSTON… BULL RUN… BURKE… CENTREVILLE… CHANTILLY… DALE CITY… GREAT FALLS… HERNDON… LAKE BARCROFT… LAKE RIDGE… LINCOLNIA… MCLEAN… MERRIFIELD… OAKTON… RESTON… ROSSLYN… SPRINGFIELD… THE I395 AND I495 INTERCHANGE… THE I66 AND I495 INTERCHANGE… TYSONS CORNER… VIENNA… WOLF TRAP… BETHESDA… CHEVY CHASE… POTOMAC… TAKOMA PARK… THE AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE… ADAMS MORGAN… AMERICAN UNIVERSITY… GEORGETOWN… MANTUA AND PIMMIT HILLS.
MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. FLOODWATER USUALLY IS DEEPER THAN IT APPEARS. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. MAKE THE SMART CHOICE WHEN FLOODED ROADS ARE ENCOUNTERED… TURN AROUND… DONT DROWN.
Photo courtesy @gogogaryo