UPDATED: Region Under Severe Thunderstorm Warning

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by ARLnow.com June 29, 2012 at 8:34 pm 5,030 46 Comments

(Updated at 10:30 p.m.) The region is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning through 11:15 p.m. Forecasters say a line of powerful storms known as a derecho is quickly moving our way from the Ohio Valley.

From the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING…

* UNTIL 1115 PM EDT

* AT 1009 PM EDT… SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DETECTED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF BRUNSWICK TO OATLANDS TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF BEALETON TO 25 MILES WEST OF MASSAPONAX… AND WERE MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH. THIS LINE OF STORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… HARRY GROVE STADIUM… SOUTH RIDING… LANSDOWNE… BROADLANDS… POOLESVILLE… HERNDON… DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT… COUNTRYSIDE… LOWES ISLAND… GREEN VALLEY…

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.

THIS LINE OF STORMS HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

Also:

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO IMPACT REGION THIS EVENING…

AT 745 PM… A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WAS CROSSING SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO HIT THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS BETWEEN 8 AND 8:30 PM… THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY BETWEEN 8:30 AND 9 PM… THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR INCLUDING THE GREATER WASHINGTON AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS BETWEEN 9:30 AND 10 PM… THEN REACHING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BETWEEN 10:30 AND 11 PM.

THIS LINE OF STORMS HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING MAJOR WIND DAMAGE ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA DUE TO WIND GUSTS OVER 75 MPH… ALONG WITH PROLIFIC CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

Bob

LOL.What a bunch of bull-s. Thanks for keeping me awake and alive, however.
Chris B

Oh my goodness!! Rain and wind?! Oh dear!!
- Chris B
  
  Okay, I actually take that back. Pretty damn serious storm!
  - Henry
    
    Saw the first post and wondered what you would think when it hit you. I guess that answers that!
sunflower

funny how that works when you have temps in the 100’s all day
amb007

Our Comcast around Virginia Square has gone in and out and our lights have been blinking a bit.
John

No power in Lyon park.
Joey

Power out around Lee/Glebe.
James

No power in Westover, either.
Deshotz

Just saw a tree come down and it’s blocking the northbound lanes of N George Mason Dr. just before Pershing.
yo…

…that was a badass storm

That is all
Frank

Power out near VA Hospital center, saw three transformers blow, patio table lifted off deck and moved across deck, birdbath gone, HUGE branch in the middle of the street..got in the house in the nick of time..

This is going to be an uncomfortable evening. I hope that people who had no regular shelter each night were able to take cover and find a safe spot..
All Wet

Wow, that was pretty wild and wooly. No power in Clarendon. I’m guessing we may be out for a while.

I’m signed up for Arlington Alerts but never got anything. Isn’t this EXACTLY the kind of thing they should broadcast?
- Chris B
  
  I received a message from them 3 hours ago (via email):
  
  Arlington Alert [email protected]
  
  8:09 PM (3 hours ago)
  
  to Arlington
  Severe storms moving towards DC area, stay tuned to news and radio for more information. JDT/OEM
  
  Sent by OEM to Severe Weather 24/7, Severe Weather 9AM-9PM via ArlingtonAlrt
- Michael H.
  
  I received an alert from Arlington and Alexandria at 10:16 and 10:17 pm.
- Michael H.
  
  I also received the email alert at 8:09 pm.
- All Wet
  
  I take that back; I see now that I DID get an email. But no text to my phone. Is a surprise storm like this not text-wothy?
Michael H.

Nothing here at 10:30. Then… BAM! It’s been almost nonstop lighting for the last 10 minutes. There are almost no breaks in between the lightning flashes.

The lights flickered several times around 10:40 pm and my router went offline briefly. I can still see the lightning flashes but the thunder is faint and the lights have stopped flickering on and off.

I was outside literally just a couple minutes before the storm rolled in.
- Michael H.
  
  (I meant “lightning”)
sunny

I was afraid, the light is gone and I was bathing, I could not see and my hands
Sandra in East Falls Church

We’re over by the East Falls Church area (by Overlee Pool) and we have power. Storms seem to be going away at 11:20pm.
SoArl

My kid is just using this as a big excuse to not go back to bed. Lights flickered but that was about it.
ARLwahoo

Guess its a good thing ARLnow started posting this stuff. This storm was nuts and no one expected it, plus it moved so quick
Kiffee

Power is out in North Rosslyn. Pretty sure I saw a transformer blow across the street at the Rosslyn Vue on N. Scott St.
No Power Shirlington Area

Fairlington.
Guus

Pretty wild storm. Here is a piece of footage of the lightning over Lyon Village, as seen from our apartment building.

http://www.guusbosman.nl/2012/06/29/big-storm-over-arlington
Doh

Nearly nonstop sirens on George Mason near the hospital. Big branches down all over.
Michael H.

According to NBC Washington, 1 million people are without power in the D.C. area. Wind gusts were in excess of 80 mph!

http://www.nbcwashington.com/weather/stories/Records-Could-Be-Broken-as-DC-Heats-Up-160732845.html
Hank

Has anyone who has lost power had service restored? I realize this may be a ridiculous question seeing as though a response on this website requires power. But on the chance people are using smartphones or iPads, I thought I’d ask.
- Cate
  
  I only lost power briefly at the beginning of the storm, but my friend in Falls Church (not Arlington, I know) can’t even get through to Dominion – it looks like it could be a while.
  - Glad to have power today
    
    Yeah, I tried to call VDOT and the Fairfax County police (yes, yes, I live in Falls Church, but work and do everything else in Arlington) alternatingly to get through to someone to report the traffic light out at George Mason and Leesburg Pike. There where tons of almost-accidents going on there, and I couldn’t get through to anybody after forty minutes, so I had to give up. I think all the utilities and authorities will be swamped for a while.
Cate

Seemed to be more transformers blowing than thunder at some points. Incredible.
- Hank
  
  Do transformers blow to excessive use or are they due to outages?Thanks for your info!
  - Cate
    
    Pretty sure in this case it was outages.
Jackson

Anyone know if crystal city has power? Gonna need hotel room for family – we have 7 day old newborn- thanks
Alex

That was one of the most powerful storms I’ve seen in a while. Between the heavy rain, wind gusts and the power disrupting lightning I was pretty impressed.
Vercoln

Stull no power in Arlington all around Columbia pike near courthouse road. Completely black outside. Very eerie. No sleeping.
brodies

As of 6:10 this morning, no power in Lyon Park proper, but the stoplights and streetlights on 50 seemed fine. Arlington Ridge was dead, but Crystal City seems fine as well.
Courtney

Still no power in Clarendon. And Dominion’s website isn’t very helpful as to providing information or estimates as to when power might be restored.
Dan

8:20am no Power in Pentagon City8:20am no Power in Pentagon City
Alex

There are still a lot of folks without power, about 50% of Dominion’s NoVA customers:

https://www.dom.com/storm-center/dominion-electric-outage-summary.jsp
Michael H.

Arlington County has set up a webpage that provides a summary of storm damage — Arlington Storm Updates.

http://news.arlingtonva.us/pr/ava/arlington-storm-updates-236032.aspx
Dave

Anyone know of a place to take pets during the heat? We’ll be without power for days….
- JohnB2
  
  For short term, I’d take them to a pet store that allows animals. For long term I’d find a friend with power and crash at their place.
- Michael H.
  
  Check the link I posted above. The Storm Updates page lists cooling centers in the County.
mr. clarendon

I see the Artisphere is at the top of the list of storm centers to get some a/c… Glad they found a use for it!

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