Opinion ARLnow Weekend Discussion
Traffic Crystal City Twilighter 5K to Close Roads Saturday Night
81°Clear
SEARCH
Columns

UPDATED: Flood Warning Issued for Arlington, Section of Columbia Pike and G.W. Parkway Closed

Keep an eye on the roads — the National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Arlington through 6:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday).

The weather service estimates the D.C. region could see up to two inches of rain in total tonight, though storms are supposed to move out of the area quickly.

The flooding has already prompted some road closures, including on the G.W. Parkway, which county police say is closed in both directions:

More from the NWS:

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Flood Warning for…
The central District of Columbia…

Arlington County in northern Virginia…
Southeastern Fairfax County in northern Virginia…
The City of Alexandria in northern Virginia…

* Until 630 PM EDT.

* At 329 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain which will cause flooding. Up to one inch of rain has
already fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of up to one inch are
possible.

* Some locations that may experience flooding include…

Arlington, Alexandria, Annandale, Springfield, Fort Washington,
Fort Hunt, Groveton, Falls Church, Huntington, Mantua, Fort
Belvoir, Nationals Park, Gallaudet University, Reagan National
Airport, Rosslyn, Crystal City, RFK Stadium, Burke, Lincolnia and
Lorton.

0 Comments

Morning Notes

‘Coffee With a Cop’ Comes to Clarendon, Pentagon City — The Arlington County Police Department is hosting a pair of “Coffee with a Cop” events later this month, at a Starbucks in Pentagon City and Northside Social in Clarendon. In a press release, ACPD said it “is committed to developing and maintaining strong relationships with those we serve, a vital component to ensuring the public’s trust.” [Arlington County]

Potomac Roaring Over Great Falls — Those within earshot of the Potomac River are being treated to an especially loud roar this week as the rain-swollen river “churned and even exploded into the air at Great Falls.” It also flooded parts of Alexandria and the Georgetown riverfront. [Washington Post, Twitter, Twitter]

Artisphere Closing Anniversary — It has been three years since Artisphere closed its doors in Rosslyn. The former county-funded arts venue is now a co-working and events space.

Photo courtesy @jimcollierjr

0 Comments

Heavy Rain Prompts Severe Flooding in Waverly Hills, Residents Plead for County Help

(Updated at 6 p.m.) The relentless rain soaking Arlington is prompting some serious flooding in the Waverly Hills neighborhood, and now people living there are pressing the county for help.

Tom Reich, a longtime homeowner in the area, told ARLnow that many of his neighbors along the 4000 block of 18th Street N. experienced serious flooding starting two weeks ago, on May 22. He also sent along the above video, showing water reaching high enough to partially submerge some cars parked on 18th Street N. and carry away some recycling bins.

“Many houses had their garages, basements, and cars flooded, sustaining many thousands of dollars in damage,” Reich wrote in an email.

Reich added that similar floods have plagued the neighborhood several times over the years — in 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2013 — and the Waverly Hills Civic Association convened a meeting on May 31 with county officials to address the problem. Reich says many residents urged the county to construct stormwater management improvements, but they didn’t get much in the way of good news on that front.

“The upshot was that the county told us our need is real and acute, but the money is not currently there in the capital budget to execute the projects,” Reich wrote. “Needless to say, the Waverly Hills residents are now in the beginning stage of a campaign to highlight the threat to our homes presented by the county’s failure to act on its own plan.”

Reich points out that a variety of projects designed to manage flooding in the Spout Run watershed, where the neighborhood is located, have gone unfunded in recent years.

The county’s Capital Improvement Plan passed ahead of fiscal year 2013 included funding for four different sewer projects in the area — but Reich says those were never completed and the next CIP, passed by the County Board two years later, includes no mention of them.

County Manager Mark Schwartz’s proposed CIP, which details construction projects running from fiscal year 2019 through 2028, also includes some funding for stormwater management in other parts of the county, but Reich and his neighbors are frustrated that the spending plan doesn’t call for more construction around Waverly Hills.

Staff with the county’s Department of Environmental Services completed preliminary work on the projects Reich referenced after the 2006 flooding, according to county spokeswoman Jennifer Smith. Yet she says that work “identified significant challenges and costs to upgrade the system, as the current system traverses more than a dozen private properties.”

DES spokeswoman Katie O’Brien adding that the county is “still pursuing” those projects, yet noted that “technical challenges and funding remain an issue.”

Schwartz has certainly warned of the county’s fiscal challenges as he’s unveiled this year’s construction plan, thanks to Arlington’s increasing obligations to fund the Metro system and shrinking commercial tax revenues.

However, Smith would caution that “while greater capacity in the storm sewer would alleviate flooding concerns, there is no system which can guarantee elimination of flood risk to flood-prone properties.”

Video via YouTube

0 Comments

Arlington Under Flash Flood Watch Starting This Afternoon

Arlington County is among the areas under a Flash Flood Watch Thursday afternoon through early Friday morning.

Forecasters say slow-moving storms may develop and drop several inches of rain in a short period of time.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT… NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE PAST MIDNIGHT. LOCALIZED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. * RAPID RISES OF CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO TORRENTIAL RAINFALL, POTENTIALLY SPILLING BEYOND THEIR BANKS. IN ADDITION, LOW POINTS ALONG ROADWAYS MAY BECOME IMPASSIBLE DUE TO ACCUMULATING RUNOFF. FLASH FLOODING MAY DEVELOP QUICKLY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED. &&

0 Comments

Morning Notes

Ballston Mall Garage Floods — “The heavy rain that roared through our region Tuesday evening did more than just saturate the ground. A parking garage near the Ballston Mall in Arlington County was transformed into a figurative beach complete with waves.” [WJLA]

Officials Reconsidering No-Left-Turn Sign on Route 50 — The late Carrie Johnson’s last act of civic activism may be bearing fruit. County officials are reaching out to the community in an effort to reconsider a no-left-turn sign on Route 50 at N. Irving Street. [InsideNova]

Proclamation for Gun Violence Awareness Day — At its meeting last night, the Arlington County Board presented the group Moms Demand Action with a proclamation declaring June 1, 2018 to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Arlington. [Twitter]

VHC Planning Too Rushed, Critics Say — “Plans to have the Arlington Planning Commission and County Board pass judgment on Virginia Hospital Center’s expansion plans in early July have run into community opposition, with critics saying any action then would be premature and would interfere with vacation plans of those who hope to influence the outcome.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler

0 Comments

UPDATED: Flood Warning Issued for Arlington

Update at 5:15 p.m. — As heavy rain continues to fall, high water has been reported on a number of roads, including: along Route 50; on Route 110 below Memorial Drive; at the intersections of Lorcom Lane and Lee Highway; Old Dominion Drive and N. Thomas Street; and at the intersection of N. Quantico Street and 26th Street N.

Update at 4:45 p.m. — The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for Arlington and surrounding areas.

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Flood Warning for… The District of Columbia… Southeastern Montgomery County in central Maryland… Central Prince Georges County in central Maryland… The City of Fairfax in northern Virginia… Arlington County in northern Virginia… The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia… Central Fairfax County in northern Virginia… Northeastern Prince William County in northern Virginia… The City of Alexandria in northern Virginia…

* Until 1045 PM EDT Tuesday.

* At 443 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing  heavy rain which will cause flooding. A quick inch or two of rain  will be possible on saturated ground.

* Some locations that may experience flooding include… Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, Annandale, Clinton, Springfield, College Park, Fort Washington, Greenbelt, Fairfax, Langley Park, Beltsville, Fort Hunt, Vienna, Groveton, Forestville, Falls Church, Huntington, Largo and Coral Hills.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

Earlier: Arlington County is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 9 p.m. tonight (Tuesday).

As of 4:15 p.m. a line of storms was heading toward the county from the northwest, bringing with it heavy rain and lightning.

0 Comments

Morning Notes

Flood Watch Continues Today — The National Weather Service has continued the Flood Watch until Saturday morning. Today’s weather is expected to be cool temperatures and near constant drizzle with bouts of heavy rain. [WTOP, National Weather Service, Capital Weather Gang]

Soggy Bike to Work Day — Despite the rain, today’s Bike to Work Day is proceeding as planned, with multiple stops throughout Arlington. Attendance is down but as a result those who are braving the elements have shorter lines and more opportunities for grabbing free food, t-shirts and other swag. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

March of Dimes Moving to Crystal City — “The March of Dimes has reached a deal to shift its headquarters from New York to Arlington County, where it plans to move to new space in Crystal City come January 2019…. [The nonprofit] has signed a lease with JBG Smith Properties for about 28,000 square feet at 1550 Crystal Drive.” [Washington Business Journal]

Photo courtesy Jeremy Galliani

0 Comments

Morning Notes

Apple Eying Arlington, N. Va. — It’s not just Amazon — Apple is also looking to establish a large new office, potentially in Northern Virginia. Crystal City and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor are among the sites the world’s most valuable company is considering for a new campus that would bring 20,000 jobs to the area. [Washington Post, Washington Business Journal]

Flood Watch Today — A Flood Watch is in effect today, starting this afternoon and running through Friday night. Heavy rain — 3 to 5 inches — is expected through Friday evening. [Capital Weather Gang, Twitter]

W-L Alums Against Name Change — Hundreds of Washington-Lee High School alumni have signed on to oppose the removal of “Lee” from the school’s name. A decision on the name could come later this year. [Falls Church News-Press]

ACPD Detective Honored — Det. Rosa Ortiz has been named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by Arlington County Crime Solvers. Ortiz’s dogged work on cold cases “demonstrates our commitment to pursue cases, no matter how much time has passed,” said Arlington County Police. [Facebook]

Students Plant Trees Along GW Parkway — “Students from the Children’s International School in Rosslyn recently joined their parents and community volunteers in planting 32 trees in a previously weedy area along the southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway ramp to Key Bridge.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by TheBeltWalk

0 Comments

Flash Flood Watch Issued for Arlington

Update at 5:55 p.m. — Arlington and much of the D.C. and Baltimore region is now under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch.

Earlier: Arlington County and surrounding areas are currently under a Flash Flood Watch due to expected storms tonight.

Forecasters say heavy rain may lead to flash flooding, as it did last night along Four Mile Run.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT…

A FRONT WILL SAG ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. A COUPLE ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY THE FRONT AND SHOULD MOVE ACROSS THE MASON-DIXON REGION LATE AFTERNOON. THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD PUSH FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST INTO EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA, NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND PORTIONS OF NORTHERN MARYLAND DURING THE EVENING. HEAVY RAINFALL AND LIGHTNING WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE POTENTIAL OF ENCOUNTERING DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL IN THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS COULD AVERAGE 1 TO 3 INCHES LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IN SLOW-MOVING THUNDERSTORMS.

FLASH FLOODING RISK IS FOR SMALL STREAMS PARTICULARLY IN URBAN AREAS LIKE BALTIMORE AND HAGERSTOWN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

0 Comments

UPDATED: Severe Storms Bring Wind, Torrential Rain to Arlington.

Update at 7:45 p.m. — There have been reports of downed trees, branches and power lines in Arlington, but no major power outages have been reported by Dominion. Flights are Reagan National Airport are resuming.

No major flooding issues have been reported, though ARLnow.com’s office sprung a leak during the storm.

Update at 7:01 p.m. — The Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been extended until 7:30 p.m.

Update at 6:58 p.m. — A Flash Flood Warning has also been issued for Arlington.

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for…
The District of Columbia…
South central Montgomery County in central Maryland…
Arlington County in northern Virginia…
The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia…
Northeastern Fairfax County in northern Virginia…
The City of Alexandria in northern Virginia…

* Until 1000 PM EDT.

* At 654 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the area. Around an inch of rain has fallen, and
an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain is possible over the next 1
to 2 hours leading to flash flooding in the metro area.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

(Updated at 6:55 p.m.) The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Arlington as a powerful line of storms rolls through the county.

More from the National Weather Service:

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA…SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY…NORTHWESTERN PRINCE GEORGES…SOUTHEASTERN LOUDOUN…FAIRFAX…EAST CENTRAL FAUQUIER…PRINCE WILLIAM…AND ARLINGTON COUNTIES…THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH…THE CITY OF MANASSAS PARK…THE CITY OF MANASSAS…THE CITY OF FAIRFAX AND THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA…

At 646 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Bethesda to Newington to 11 miles east of Bealeton, moving southeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD…70 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE…Radar indicated.

IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.

Locations impacted include…
Arlington, Alexandria, Germantown, Centreville, Dale City, Rockville, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Reston, Annandale, Springfield, College Park, South Riding, Fort Washington, Herndon, Greenbelt, Fairfax, Langley Park, Fort Hunt and Vienna.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Prepare immediately for large hail and damaging winds. People outside should move to a shelter, inside a strong building and away from windows.

Reagan National Airport, meanwhile, has imposed a ground stop on flights due to the severe weather.

Photo (top) courtesy Milan

0 Comments

Morning Notes

Flooding Closes Roads, Prompts Warning — Updated at 8:45 a.m. — Many Arlington residents may be bleary-eyed this morning after being woken up twice overnight: once by thunder, and another time by a Flash Flood Warning that sounded on many phones. Heavy rain caused flooding that prompted the temporary closure of I-66 in Arlington and the HOV lanes of I-395 just before the 14th Street Bridge. A Flood Warning remains in effect until 11:45 a.m. as additional rain is expected this morning. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

Crystal City ‘Makes Parking Garages Cool Again’ — Some national press for the Crosshairs Garage Races in Crystal City: “Unbeknownst to the few at street level, there’s a crowd gathering in a parking garage below an unremarkable office building. Inside, giant speakers blast rock music. Cow bells ring. There’s whooping and hollering, there’s pie and beer–and there are bikes everywhere.” [Citylab]

County Employee Recognized for Preventing Abuse — “Cheryl Fuentes, who has been working in the Arlington County government for more than a quarter-century changing the lives of parents and children, was honored as Arlington’s 2018 ‘Ally in Prevention’ by Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia.” [InsideNova]

APS Finalists for WaPo Awards — Hoffman-Boston principal Kimberley Graves and Thomas Jefferson Middle School teacher Timothy Wyatt Cotman, Jr. are among the finalists for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year awards. [Washington Post]

ACPD to Hold Award Ceremony — “The Arlington County Police Department will hold its annual Principles of Government Service Awards (PGSA) Ceremony on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, at 7 p.m. The ceremony recognizes the achievements of police personnel in service to the community and highlights the Department’s dedicated pledge of duty, honor and commitment.” [Arlington County]

Photo courtesy Kathleen Branch

0 Comments

Flood Watch in Effect Starting Saturday Evening

Arlington and parts of the D.C. area are under a Flood Watch starting 7 p.m. Saturday.

The National Weather Service says repeated bouts of moderate-to-heavy rain may cause flooding along streams and low-lying areas.

More from NWS:

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM EST THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING… THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR * PORTIONS OF MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA… A SLOW MOVING FRONT WILL LEAD TO MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES ARE LIKELY, WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS UP TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE. * HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO FLOODING OF STREAMS AND SOME RIVERS. HIGH WATER MAY ALSO DEVELOP IN LOW-LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. &&

0 Comments

Flooding Closes Courthouse Gym, Chamber of Commerce Office

Previous Image 1/5 Next Image

A burst water pipe in an apartment building has closed the offices of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Next Phase fitness studio in Courthouse.

Restoration crews are currently on scene at the Tellus Apartments at 2009 14th St N., cleaning up the mess.

The flooding happened late Monday afternoon, when water started pouring into the offices “monsoon style,” we’re told. Chamber staff scrambled to unplug and save their computers and are currently working remotely as restoration efforts continue.

The Chamber, which has already received several offers of temporary office space, wrote the following to its members today:

The Chamber office is currently closed, due to flooding in our building, and our phone system is down. Our staff is busy handling this unexpected emergency and trying to keep Chamber operations going as best as possible. For assistance, please email full-time members of our staff, and we will do our best to assist you remotely. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and support.

Next Phase is closed and classes today cancelled, though its website still lists classes as available later in the week.

0 Comments

Heavy Rain Causes Flooding in North Arlington

Previous Image 1/5 Next Image

Tuesday’s heavy rains caused some flooding around Arlington, especially in the northern reaches of the county.

An overflowing storm drain brought elevated water levels to the intersection of Military Road and 35th Street N., where drivers had to contend with significant standing water following a slug of heavy rain this morning. Police were on scene, but there were no road closures.

An earlier report suggested higher, more hazardous water levels along Military Road while the rain was still falling.

Other areas of reported flooding included the area of Glebe Road and Chain Bridge and the intersection of Yorktown Blvd and N. Harrison Street — though no standing water was observed there when an ARLnow.com reporter drove by.

The National Weather Service warned earlier today about flash floods in the region, with the threat running through early afternoon. The heavy rain that brought flooding to Arlington appeared to bring more severe conditions to Northwest D.C., where residents posted photos and videos (below) of roads turned into fast-moving streams.

Arlington’s Dept. of Public Safety Communications & Emergency Management, meanwhile, reminded residents to “turn around and don’t drown” when encountering flooded roadways.

0 Comments

JUST IN: Flash Flood Warning Issued for Arlington

(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) Much of Arlington and portions of Fairfax County, D.C. and suburban Maryland are now under a Flash Flood Warning.

The National Weather Service issued the warning around 11:15 a.m. It is in effect through 2:15 p.m.

Forecasters say heavy rain may produce flooding. Already, some flooding issues are being reported in part of the county, including along Military Road in north Arlington and in the area of Glebe Road and Chain Bridge.

More from the National Weather Service:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR… THE NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA… SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… NORTHWESTERN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY IN CENTRAL MARYLAND… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… NORTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 215 PM EDT * AT 1114 AM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE AREA. UP TO ONE INCH OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN. FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY. * SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, BETHESDA, LANGLEY PARK, BLADENSBURG, MCLEAN, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, FORT TOTTEN, ROSSLYN, HYATTSVILLE, TAKOMA PARK, KEMP MILL, CHEVY CHASE, SOUTH KENSINGTON, RIVERDALE PARK, FOREST GLEN, MARTIN’S ADDITIONS, NORTH CHEVY CHASE, FRIENDSHIP VILLAGE, GEORGETOWN AND BALLSTON.

0 Comments
×

Subscribe to our mailing list