Weather

Arlington Under Flash Flood Watch Thursday and Friday

By ARLnow.com

Flooding and rain on 10/15/14

(Updated at 1:10 p.m.) Arlington County and much of the D.C. area could see upwards of 3-6 inches of rain between Wednesday night and Friday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the area that’s now in effect from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 8 a.m. Friday, warning of the potential for streams and creeks to flood.

From NWS:

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT…

* FROM 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING

* A POWERFUL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE MIDWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN TO OUR AREA TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.

* WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED… WITH LOCALIZED SPOTS POTENTIALLY GETTING UP TO A FOOT OF RAIN. ADDITIONALLY… THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN BLUE RIDGE AND CATOCTIN MOUNTAINS HAVE AN INCREASED RISK FOR GREATER TOTALS.

* HIGH POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS… AS WELL AS URBAN AREAS. ADDITIONALLY THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE HARDEST HIT LOCATIONS TO SEE SEVERE FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THESE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL BE A DANGEROUS TIME… REQUIRING MORE THAN THE USUAL AWARENESS… PLANNING AND PREPARATIONS.

IF YOU ARE NEAR STREAMS OR DRAINAGE DITCHES… KEEP AN EYE ON THEM AND BE READY TO QUICKLY SEEK HIGHER GROUND. WATER MAY RISE RAPIDLY.

CLEAR OUT STORM DRAINS.

THOSE PRONE TO BASEMENT FLOODING SHOULD PREPARE. COMMUNITIES PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD PREPARE.

CONTINUE TO CHECK IN ON THE FORECAST FOR UPDATES.

WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED FOR AREAS WHERE FLOODING IS IMMINENT. ENSURE YOU GET WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THROUGH YOUR MOBILE PHONE AND OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR WHERE YOU ARE OR IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED.

ENSURE YOUR KIDS DONT PLAY NEAR FLOOD WATERS.

REMEMBER IF YOU COME ACROSS WATER CROSSING A ROAD… TURN AROUND DONT DROWN!

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