Weather

Flood Warning as Heavy Rain Falls

Update at 10:30 a.m. — The Flood Warning expired and the Flash Flood Watch, originally in effect until this afternoon, has been cancelled as the rain moves out.

Earlier: Arlington County is under a Flood Warning this morning.

The warning was issued shortly after 5 a.m. Already areas of minor flooding have been reported, including high standing water along I-66 between East Falls Church and Ballston, which closed all but one eastbound lane, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning is in effect until 7:45 a.m.

More from NWS:

509 AM EDT THU SEP 23 2021

…FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 AM EDT THIS MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY, ARLINGTON AND EASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTIES AND THE NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH…

AT 509 AM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE FIRST AREA OF HEAVY RAIN HAS EXITED THE WARNED AREA. BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN, WHICH RESULTED IN SOME MINOR URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING. ADDITIONAL MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO ADDITIONAL FLOODING.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… ARLINGTON… ALEXANDRIA… GERMANTOWN… ROCKVILLE… BETHESDA… GAITHERSBURG… ANNANDALE… OLNEY… SPRINGFIELD… FORT HUNT… VIENNA… GROVETON… FALLS CHURCH… HUNTINGTON… FORT BELVOIR… PIMMIT HILLS… MCLEAN… AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE… ROSSLYN… CRYSTAL CITY…

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 0.5 TO 1.5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING.