The timing of the storm, on one of the busiest travel day of the year, could create major problems on local highways and byways.
VDOT urges drivers to “use extra caution, particularly on bridges, overpasses, curves, hills and ramps, which become slippery first,” as the snow starts falling later today. Crews are not pre-treating roads since the rain would just wash the treatment away.
(Updated at 1:15 p.m.) The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for Arlington this afternoon as a dangerous storm system rolled through the area.
The tornado warning has since been canceled, but a flood watch remains in effect through 8:00 p.m. (See below.)
An approaching cold front will bring the potential for flooding and damaging winds, according to forecasters. Some higher-elevation areas to our west are under a wind advisory starting at 6:00 tonight.
This afternoon, the National Weather Service issued the following advisory for the D.C. area.
Forecasters say heavy, drenching rain is moving up from the south in the form of a nor’easter. The storm may produce localized flooding in low-lying areas through early Thursday.
From the National Weather Service:
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch that’s in effect through 9:00 p.m.
Forecasters say strong storms are possible in the D.C. and Baltimore areas.
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Arlington and the rest of the D.C. metro area. It remains in effect until 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
Rain is expected to continue through the evening and the area may also see thunderstorms.
With July, usually the hottest month of the year, coming to close this week, it appears that the D.C. region has dodged the usual 100+ degree heat waves of summers past.
In fact, the area seems to have had an inordinate number of relatively mild days this summer.
The watch is in effect from now until 9:00 p.m. Forecasters say more storms with damaging winds and heavy downpours are possible.
Yesterday a similar watch was issued, and was followed by a storm that knocked out power to more than 5,500 Dominion customers in Arlington County.
Arlington County and the rest of the D.C. area is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 8:00 tonight.
Forecasters say storms with damaging winds and maybe even a tornado are possible this afternoon and evening.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Arlington and the D.C. area.
The watch is in effect through midnight. Forecasters say slow-moving storms may result in heavy rain and isolated flooding.
Between storms last night, there was a period of pure serenity — a crystal clear double rainbow appearing in front of a golden sunset.
Many Arlington residents captured the moment on their phones and digital SLRs, and sent us the photos via email, Twitter and our Flickr pool.
Update at 10:50 p.m. — Fewer than 1,000 Dominion customers are now in the dark in Arlington. A possible water main break has also been reported in Fairlington.
Nearly 3,000 Dominion customers were without power in Arlington Tuesday night after a line of severe storms packing gusty winds blew through the area.
