(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) A power outage left much of Falls Church, big parts of western Arlington, and a small portion of Fairfax County in the dark this morning.
More than 5,500 Dominion customers are without power, the utility company reported on its website. As of 9:15 a.m., 2,165 customers in Arlington — including parts of the East Falls Church, Leeway Overlee and Madison Manor neighborhoods — were affected. That includes nearly all of the Langston Blvd corridor west of N. Harrison Street.
More than 3,000 customers in Falls Church were also without power.
On its website, Dominion listed “circuit out” as the cause of the outage.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., the power company’s outage map was updated to show that the outage was down to just over 1,200 customers, with a few hundred in Arlington and the rest in Falls Church.
The outage may be linked to a reported electrical line fire and transformer explosion in the City of Falls Church. A tipster sent the following photo showing the line on fire.
Hat tip to @tweedyBard
Strong wind gusts have brought down trees and knocked out power in parts of Arlington tonight.
More than 3,500 Dominion customers were without power in Arlington as of 10:45 p.m. The power company’s outage map shows sizable outages in the following local areas:
- Long Branch Creek, including the intersection of S. Glebe Road and S. Arlington Ridge Road
- Glebewood and Waverly Hills, along N. Glebe Road just south of Langston Blvd, where ARLnow observed power crews and a tree down
- Old Glebe, Chain Bridge Forest and Rivercrest in far northern Arlington, along the N. Glebe Road corridor
There were also smaller outages in the Dominion Hills and Bluemont neighborhoods. Estimates of when the power would be back on were not available on Dominion’s website.
The outages come amid wind gusts of up to 60 mph in the D.C. metro area, which is under a High Wind Warning. National Airport recorded a 60 mph gust around 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Damaging winds are expected to continue through about midnight, forecasters said.
Throughout Northern Virginia, Dominion reported more than 43,000 customers without power.
https://twitter.com/PeggyDomEnergy/status/1642354836413767680
10:30p: Winds seem to have eased slightly in the past hour, but still gusting 40-50 mph. They probably won’t diminish much more until after midnight. Could still see a few more trees come down before then.
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) April 2, 2023
Its officially #ConeTruck season in Arlington.
Pole down on S Arlington Mill Dr. b/t S Randolph & S Taylor – couple 100 yards from @ArlingtonDES. @STATter911 @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/DPNHEhDptR— Matthew Young (@matthewyoung31) April 2, 2023
Update at 5:25 p.m. — Metrorail service has been restored on the Orange and Silver lines after a power outage in Ballston that lasted around half an hour. Riders should expect residual delays, Metro said.
Earlier: Metrorail service on the Orange and Silver lines has been suspended due to a power outage.
WMATA said shortly before 5 p.m. that “a power outage at Ballston” has prompted a suspension of train service between Clarendon and West Falls Church/McLean.
So far there is no word on when service might resume. Shuttle buses have been requested to the affected stations, the transit agency said.
Dominion’s website currently lists an outage in Ballston with an estimated restoration time of 8-11 p.m.
Orange/Silver Line Delay: Train service suspended between Clarendon & West Falls Church/McLean due to a power outage at Ballston. Buses requested.
— Metrobus Info (@Metrobusinfo) January 23, 2023
UPDATED: Orange/Silver Line Delay: Train service restored btwn Clarendon & West Falls Church/McLean following earlier power outage at Ballston. Expect delays.
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) January 23, 2023
Update at 3:05 p.m. — Numerous small, scattered outages have been reported around Arlington. The number of Dominion customers in the dark is now down to just over 800, with the larger earlier outage since largely resolved.
Earlier: Today’s frigid wind storm is just getting underway — complete with a recent bout of snow flurries — but many are already without power in Arlington.
As of 10 a.m., more than 1,500 Dominion customers are in the cold, according to the power company’s website.
The following outages were reported on Dominion’s map.
- 718 customers, in Penrose and Lyon Park
- 715 customers, between Ballston and Westover
- 114 customers, in Glebewood
- At least two smaller outages in Bellevue Forest and Ashton Heights
The Penrose outage has closed Arlington’s Dept. of Human Services offices at Sequoia Plaza, the county announced this morning.
DHS is closed today. Due to a power outage at Sequoia Plaza, Dept. of Human Services offices are closed today. Client appts will be rescheduled. Sorry for the inconvenience. @ArlingtonVA
— Arlington County Department of Human Services (@ArlingtonDHS) December 23, 2022
“Dominion Energy continues to closely monitor the extremely cold, windy weather and its potential to impact our Virginia and North Carolina service territory,” the company said in a statement today. “Our crews are positioned and ready to respond to any damage or power outages that may be caused as a result of the ice storm.”
“If you experience a power outage, please make sure you report it to Dominion Energy immediately,” the company added. “Please stay at least 30 feet away from all downed wires and damaged equipment. If you need to report an emergency or a downed wire, please call us at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357)… We appreciate your patience.”
The county is under both a Wind Advisory and a Wind Chill Advisory today. More outages are possible throughout the day, with 50 mph wind gusts expected.
(Updated at 9:35 a.m.) A swath of the Courthouse and Clarendon area is in the dark after reports of a possible transformer explosion.
The lights went out around 6:30 a.m. As of 7:30 a.m., 1,732 Dominion customers are still without power, according to the company’s website, though that number was down to around 1,100 as of 9 a.m.
“Arlington County is aware of a power outage in the Courthouse area,” the county earlier this morning in an Arlington Alert. “Use caution as street lights are out. Treat all intersections as a 4-way stop.”
Arlington firefighters were dispatched to the Avalon Courthouse Place apartment building at 1320 N. Veitch Street around 6:30 a.m. for a report of an underground transformer explosion and fire.
ACFD says the fire is out but there was “significant smoke in the parking garage requiring ventilation” and it expects the overhaul to be “an extended operation.” Some roads are closed in the area as a result of ongoing fire department activity.
#ALERT: Crews are operating at the scene of an underground transformer fire in the 1300 BLK of N. Veitch St. Fire was out upon arrival, however there is significant smoke in the parking garage requiring ventilation. Power is out in the area and this will be an extended operation pic.twitter.com/DYxVc521T7
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) December 14, 2022
On social media, below, one user posted a photo of a thick haze in the parking garage.
@ARLnowDOTcom @STATter911 14th St entirely blocked off now with emergency vehicles. Overheard that it may take a couple days to restore power. pic.twitter.com/o3e6y2Jrok
— CrystalLite (@CrystalLite14) December 14, 2022
(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) At least a couple of large buildings in Ballston are without power after reports of a possible transformer explosion.
Firefighters were initially dispatched to the area shortly before 1 p.m. after a caller reported a loud explosion-like sound and some smoke believed to be coming from a power transformer.
They were subsequently also dispatched to the AVA Ballston Square apartment building at 850 N. Randolph Street for a report of an elevator that was stuck with people inside after the power went out.
An office building across the street, which houses ARLnow’s offices, is also without power.
The outage appears to be relatively isolated, according to Dominion’s outage map, with just under 400 homes and businesses affected. Restoration of power is currently estimated between 5-8 p.m.
Update at 3:20 p.m. — The number of outages is down to just over 600, according to Dominion. Police are in the process of removing cones from intersections with traffic signals that are working again.
Earlier: More than 3,500 homes and businesses are currently without power in Arlington due to a reported transformer fire.
The outage is centered around the Clarendon and Lyon Park neighborhoods. Initial reports suggest that a tree fell on power lines somewhere in the area and sparked the transformer fire that is causing the large outage.
Traffic signals are said to be dark at numerous busy intersections. Police are responding to assist with traffic control.
Another several hundred Dominion customers were initially reported to be in the dark around Courthouse, though power is back on in most of the neighborhood.
One office worker in Courthouse described experiencing 3-4 power surges that “went through the building like a wind blowing… about 2 minutes from start to finish.”
In addition to calls about non-functioning traffic lights, police and fire radio channels have been busy with reports of smoke coming from sidewalk grates — a normal occurrence in commercial areas during outages, caused by diesel generators starting up.
As of 2 p.m., Dominion’s website estimates a timeframe of between 5-8 p.m. for restoration of power.
Looks like there’s a power outage right now in Clarendon. It’s not just residential; some street lights are also out. CC: @arlnowdotcom
— Jonathan Rick ✍️ (@jrick) September 13, 2022
Arlington Man Arrested for Fairfax Murder — “A man was arrested in connection to the homicide of 32-year-old DonorSee founder Gret Glyer, according to Fairfax City Police officials. Joshua Danehower, 33, of Arlington, Va., was arrested at Dulles International Airport Tuesday night. He was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Glyer’s death, according to police. He was also charged with one count of use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.” [WJLA, Fox News]
Air Quality Warning Today — “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert Thursday for Northern Virginia. A Code Orange Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups.” [National Weather Service]
Wardian Powering Through Dozens of Audiobooks — Achieving his Forrest Gump-esque goal of running some 3,000 miles coast-to-coast is not the only feat Arlington resident and decorated ultramarathoner Michael Wardian has tallied over the past couple of months. He says he has also listened to at least 35 audiobooks on 2x speed while on the journey. [NBC 4]
AIM ‘Coming Out Party’ Tonight — “The AIM and WERA teams invite you to join us tomorrow to celebrate our exciting new direction and plans! Come out and meet our new staff, learn about amazing programs and classes, and see how you can be a part of the future of inclusive public media in Arlington! Mix, mingle, meet Ms. Gay Arlington, dance to the tunes of drag queen DJ’s Katja and Giorgio — and have fun!” [Eventbrite]
Kitchen Fire and Power Outage in Ballston — “Kitchen fire at Uncle Julio’s. Sounds minor but the restaurant was evacuated, per scanner. There’s also a power outage in the area, affecting more than 600 Dominion customers, per the company’s outage map.” [Twitter]
Big Response to Gun Brandishing — A man allegedly brandished a gun in a Pentagon City apartment building lobby yesterday afternoon, prompting a big police response. [Twitter, Twitter]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 88 and low of 68. Sunrise at 5:48 am and sunset at 8:39 pm. [Weather.gov]
Update at 6:05 p.m. — The number of outages in Arlington is now down to just 67, according to Dominion.
Earlier: More than 2,000 Dominion customers are still without power after two strong storms knocked down trees and power lines Sunday.
As of 9:45 a.m. the utility company reported 2,084 customers in the dark, down from 8,295 outages immediately following the second of yesterday’s storms.
The outages are scattered across the county but mostly in south Arlington. Among the largest of the remaining outages are in the Aurora Highlands and Columbia Forest neighborhoods.
Dominion’s power outage map currently lists the estimated restoration time as between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. tonight.
The utility company has been struggling to restore power due to widespread damage from the storms. Currently Dominion is reporting 8,992 outages across Northern Virginia, including 2,832 in Fairfax County and 3,873 in Alexandria.
The downed trees and power lines are affecting bus service in Columbia Forest.
“Due to downed power lines, the ART Route 75 will not be servicing stops on S. Frederick Street until further notice,” Arlington Transit said in an alert earlier this morning. “Passengers can board on George Mason Drive.”
https://twitter.com/PeggyDomEnergy/status/1528746576927236096
The outages are also affecting library service in Aurora Highlands.
Power is currently out at Aurora Hills due to yesterday's storms. We will open on time at 10 am, but there will be no Public PCs/Wi-Fi, and no access to your Library Account. You will be able to pick up holds & check out items.
All other Library locations are operating normally.— Arlington VA Pub Lib (@ArlingtonVALib) May 23, 2022
An early morning power outage Tuesday left more than 2,000 Dominion customers in the dark. The culprit: balloons.
The incident prompted Dominion Energy to remind residents about the danger posed by those metallic balloons one might buy in a grocery or party supply store.
“In the overnight hours mylar balloons came in contact with our power lines causing a short circuit or power surge which put 2,085 customers in the dark,” Dominion spokeswoman Peggy Fox tells ARLnow. “The balloons damaged a circuit which had to be replaced. Fortunately, there was no fire and our crews were able to gradually switch customers to other circuits.’
“Power was restored to all of those customers by 5 a.m. — in under three hours from when the outage began,” she added.
Letting balloons fly up into the sky may seem harmless — and in the case of balloons held by young children, it’s sometimes hard to avoid — but aside from the fact that the balloons eventually come down and end up as litter, mylar balloons in particular pose an acute danger on the way up.
“Mylar balloons have a metallic coating that conducts electricity,” Fox explains. “When they touch power lines they can cause large-scale outages, melting of electrical wires and even fires. It’s happened across the country.”
“We would ask people to not release any balloons outside and to dispose of them properly,” she said.
Police Looking for Missing Teen — “MISSING: ACPD is seeking assistance locating 14-year-old Anahi… Described as a [Hispanic] female, 5’4″ tall with brown hair, brown eyes and a nose piercing. She was last seen at approximately 12:30 p.m. today in the 400 block of S. George Mason Drive.” [Twitter]
Amazon Banana Stand in Crystal City — “Amazon has operated a stand in front of 1770 Crystal Drive, one of the office buildings it occupies in Crystal City, since July. The banistas give away bananas, individually or by the bunch, every weekday between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Anderson said. And anyone can take them, from Amazon employees to residents to passers-by. The stands have dog treats, too.” [Washington Business Journal]
Reports of Strange Sounds Last Night — “Locals: anyone know what that annoying chime / doorbell thing is that goes off every 10 minutes? I’ve seen reports of hearing it from Arlington to Alexandria.” [Twitter, Twitter]
Power Outage Last Night — “Just over 600 Dominion customers are without power tonight in the Columbia Forest and Claremont neighborhoods. Restoration expected within a few hours.” [Twitter]
Metro Wants to Develop Housing — “Metro has released a 10-year joint development plan that’s chock-full of big projects to extend the agency’s reach and increase ridership… The agency says it could produce 26,000 new housing units and 31 million square feet of new development through joint development projects at 40 stations. This could create a projected $50 million in yearly lease revenue.” [Axios]
It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. Breezy, with wind gusts of up to 31 mph. High of 50 and low of 40. Sunrise at 6:27 am and sunset at 7:50 pm. [Weather.gov]