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Flood Watch, Wind Advisory Issued for Arlington

Arlington County and surrounding areas are under both a Flood Watch and a Wind Advisory Thursday, as a front brings heavy rain and strong winds to the region.

About 1-2 inches of rain is expected to fall, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas and along streams and creeks.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT… * FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON * RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND 1 INCH ARE EXPECTED, WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE. * EXCESS RUNOFF FROM A NEARLY FROZEN GROUND AND SATURATED SOILS WILL CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE OUT OF THEIR BANKS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL FLOODING IN LOW LYING URBAN 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. &&

In addition to the rain, damaging winds are possible.

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON EST THURSDAY… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON EST THURSDAY. * TIMING…THURSDAY MORNING. * WINDS…SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. * IMPACTS…GUSTY WINDS WILL BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS. TREE LIMBS COULD BE BLOWN DOWN AND A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. &&

More via social media:

Photo (top) via National Weather Service

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Morning Notes

Flood Watch in Effect — Expect periods of rain today. The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for much of the region through late tonight. “Excessive runoff from already saturated soils will cause the potential for streams and creeks to rise out of their banks as well as flooding in low lying urban areas,” forecasters say. [Weather.gov, Twitter]

Arlington Doesn’t Want to Pick Fight Over J-D Hwy — “The Arlington County government’s efforts to rename its portion of Jefferson Davis Highway could face familiar legislative roadblocks in 2019. But County Board members say they have no interest in forcing a confrontation with the General Assembly on the matter.” [InsideNova]

New Year’s Meeting Scheduled for Jan. 2 — Next week, what used to be a New Year’s Day organizational meeting for the Arlington County Board will again be held on Jan. 2 instead. The Board will elect a new Chair and Vice Chair at the meeting. [Arlington County]

Developer Buys Wilson Blvd Property — “The Meridian Group has picked up its next value-add Arlington County office building as it… closed Wednesday on its acquisition of 2500 Wilson Blvd. and several adjacent parcels from an affiliate of TH Real Estate for a consideration amount of nearly $39 million, or roughly $373 per square foot, according to Arlington County land records.” [Washington Business Journal]

Dulles Toll Road Rates Rising — “Starting Jan. 1, prices are scheduled to go up for those driving on the Dulles Toll Road. The cost to passenger vehicles will increase from $2.50 to $3.25 at the main toll plaza and from $1 to $1.50 on ramps.” [Tysons Reporter]

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Fire Dept. Urges Caution on Roads As Rain Continues

The Arlington County Fire Department is urging residents to “turn around, don’t drown” when encountering a flooded roadway.

A Flood Warning is in effect for Arlington County until 1:30 a.m. as rain continues to fall. More from the National Weather Service:

…A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 AM EST FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA…MONTGOMERY…CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGES… NORTHEASTERN LOUDOUN…ARLINGTON…AND NORTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTIES…THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH AND THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA… AT 735 PM EST, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS REPORTED AREAS OF FLOODING ACROSS THE AREA. BRIGHTON DAM ROAD NEAR THE HOWARD COUNTY/MONTGOMERY COUNTY LINE WITHIN THE PATUXENT RIVER WATERSHED HAS WATER FLOWING ACROSS THE ROADWAY, NECESSITATING A WATER RESCUE. ADDITIONAL CLOSED ROADS ARE BEING REPORTED IN GLENN DALE IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY MD, AND NEAR PHILOMONT ALONG LIME KILN ROAD IN LOUDOUN COUNTY VA. MOTORISTS USING ROCK CREEK PARKWAY FROM SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY INTO NORTHWEST DC SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR FLOODED ROADWAYS. AT 7:15 PM EST, THE GAUGE AT SHERRILL DRIVE ON ROCK CREEK IN NW DC IS WITHIN ONE-HALF FOOT OF FLOOD STAGE, AND IS CONTINUING TO RISE WITH MORE RAIN ON THE WAY OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. IT IS EXPECTED FOR ROCK CREEK TO REACH FLOOD STAGE BY 9:00 PM EST. RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PERSIST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS, ESPECIALLY IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WHERE WE ARE ALREADY SEEING FLOODING. 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. IF LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS PUT UP BARRICADES ON FLOODED ROADWAYS, DO NOT GO AROUND THE BARRICADES, THINKING YOUR VEHICLE CAN GET THROUGH THE FLOOD WATERS. &&

Numerous flooded roadways and water rescues have been reported in nearby Fairfax County. Arlington County has seen fewer significant problems, but ponding has been reported on some local roads.

Today’s rain helped to make 2018 the wettest year on record for the D.C. area. More showers and drizzle are expected Sunday.

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Flood Watch Issued for Arlington

A Flood Watch will be in effect starting at 6 p.m. tonight as Arlington and the D.C. area is in for a heavy dose of rain through Saturday evening.

The National Weather Service says 1-2 inches of rain is likely, raising the possibility of flooding along creeks, streams and in urban areas.

More from NWS:

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON…

 

* From this evening through Saturday afternoon

* Moderate rainfall is expected with locally heavy rain possible. Rainfall amounts around 1 to 2 inches are most likely with locally higher amounts around 3 inches possible. Runoff from the rainfall may cause creeks and streams to rise out of their banks as well as the potential for flooding in urban 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.

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APS Cancels After-School Activities as Snow and Sleet Turn to Rain

(Updated at 3:35 p.m) After a controversial on-time start that led to a treacherous morning on local roads and sidewalks, Arlington Public Schools is not taking any chances tonight.

Both parents and school bus drivers had trouble getting to school this morning on the roads. According to an APS spokesman, 12 out of around 160 school buses became stuck due to slippery road conditions, and one bus was involved in a “very minor” crash. The spokesman did not have an exact tally of how many buses were late arriving to school

“Our drivers are instructed to drive slow and take all precautions when driving,” said Frank Bellavia.

Following the morning mess, APS canceled all after school and evening activities. The school system announced the cancellations in a tweet just after 1:30 p.m.

 

Marymount University, meanwhile, is also closing early because of the weather.

While most of the frozen precipitation is over for Arlington, there are still a number of concerns for this evening, including remaining snow on local roads and a possible re-freeze overnight.

More from VDOT:

A mixed bag of precipitation is affecting much of the Commonwealth Thursday, and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are responding to adverse road conditions where needed. Snow, sleet, and heavy rain are expected across Virginia through the afternoon and overnight hours.

Some portions of Virginia are experiencing the first taste of winter in the 2018-2019 season. In affected regions, VDOT crews are deployed to treat roads to melt icy areas. Icy conditions could cause downed trees and debris in roadways. Travelers should exercise caution during the afternoon rush hour and overnight, as road conditions may be wet and slushy.

Portions of the state are experiencing heavy rain. Crews are monitoring road conditions and responding to reports of high water and debris in roadways.

Motorists are encouraged to closely monitor travel conditions in local areas and adjust travel as needed. In wet and icy conditions, allow extra time to reach destinations, lower speed and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.

Another concern: the potential for flooding as a result of melting snow and heavy rain. Arlington and much of the rest of the region is currently under a Flood Watch.

From the National Weather Service:

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING… THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR * PORTIONS OF MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND VIRGINIA, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS, IN MARYLAND, ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOWARD, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY, CHARLES, PRINCE GEORGES, SOUTHEAST HARFORD, SOUTHERN BALTIMORE, AND ST. MARYS. THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA, FAIRFAX, KING GEORGE, PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK, SPOTSYLVANIA, AND STAFFORD. * THROUGH THIS EVENING * A PERIOD OF MODERATELY HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ONE AND A HALF TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THIS MAY LEAD TO FLOODING OF AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS AS WELL AS IN URBAN 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. &&

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Morning Notes

Polls Are Open — Voting in Arlington started at 6 a.m. this morning and will continue until 7 p.m. Don’t be surprised to see TV crews at local polling places: a number of international news outlets will be on hand to document democracy in action in Arlington. [Twitter, Twitter]

HQ2 Driving Real Estate Interest — Real estate agents are seeing increased interest in Arlington and Alexandria as a result of the increasingly-likely prospect of Amazon’s HQ2 (or, at least, a portion of it) coming to the area. Crystal City residents, meanwhile, are both excited and apprehensive about the tech and e-commerce giant moving into the neighborhood. [Washington Business Journal, WJLA]

Rain Causes Swollen Four Mile Run — Heavy rain Monday morning caused flooding along Four Mile Run. Floodwaters blocked the Four Mile Run Trail for part of the day. [Twitter]

Green Valley Pharmacy May Reopen — The Green Valley Pharmacy, a long-time local business serving the Nauck community, may be revived by the family of its late founder, Leonard “Doc” Muse. “”We [hope] to restore the exterior to the way it looked when my grandfather opened it in the 1950s,” said Muse’s grandson. [Arlington Magazine]

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Flood Watch in Effect for Arlington

Arlington and much of the D.C. region is under a Flood Watch today as another big batch of rain moves into the area.

With the ground already saturated, any significant rainfall can cause ponding or even more serious flooding.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND VIRGINIA, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS, IN MARYLAND, CARROLL, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOWARD, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY, NORTHWEST HOWARD, AND NORTHWEST MONTGOMERY. THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN VIRGINIA, ALBEMARLE, ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA, CENTRAL VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE, CULPEPER, EASTERN LOUDOUN, FAIRFAX, GREENE, MADISON, NELSON, ORANGE, PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK, SOUTHERN FAUQUIER, AND STAFFORD. * FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT * A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL RIDE NORTHEAST ALONG A STALLED FRONT LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE, AND WITH THE GROUND ALREADY SATURATED, FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. 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. &&

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Morning Notes

Flash Flood Watch Issued for Arlington — Arlington, D.C. and points west are under a Flash Flood Watch today, starting at 10 a.m., as the remnants of Hurricane Florence drop heavy rain on the area. [Twitter]

New Food Distribution Site in Ballston — “The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) has joined with the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) to open a new food-distribution site at The Springs, an apartment complex in the Ballston area. The site will distribute food on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m., and will serve eligible residents from the apartment as well as neighboring APAH communities.” [InsideNova]

Rosslyn Fire Station Leveled — Rosslyn’s Fire Station 10 has been demolished as construction proceeds on a new fire station on the ground floor of a new development. [Twitter]

‘Coffee With a Cop’ Planned — “Wednesday, October 3 is National Coffee with a Cop Day and the Arlington County Police Department is hosting two events with our Community Outreach Teams to celebrate. Community members are invited to join police at this informal event to ask questions, voice concerns, get to know their neighbors, interact with the Community Outreach Teams and meet officers from other sections of the department.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

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Arlington County Under Flood Warning

Arlington County is under a Flood Warning until 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

Another round of heavy rain moving into the area could cause flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

More from NWS:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WARNING FOR… SOUTHEASTERN ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… EAST CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… * UNTIL 1245 AM EDT. * AT 847 PM EDT, DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN WHICH WILL CAUSE FLOODING. UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE ALREADY FALLEN AND ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE. * SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… ARLINGTON, ALEXANDRIA, ANNANDALE, HUNTINGTON, CRYSTAL CITY, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, LINCOLNIA, LAKE BARCROFT, BALLSTON, BARCROFT, JEFFERSON MANOR AND BAILEYS CROSSROADS.

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Flash Flood Watch Issued for Arlington

Arlington County is currently under a Flash Flood Watch.

Though the sun is out now, forecasters warn that slow-moving thunderstorms will develop later today and could dump heavy rain on Arlington and other parts of the region.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MARYLAND AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS, IN MARYLAND, ANNE ARUNDEL, CARROLL, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOWARD, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY, FREDERICK MD, NORTHERN BALTIMORE, NORTHWEST HARFORD, NORTHWEST HOWARD, NORTHWEST MONTGOMERY, PRINCE GEORGES, SOUTHEAST HARFORD, AND SOUTHERN BALTIMORE. IN VIRGINIA, ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA AND FAIRFAX. * THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. * SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. * HIGH RAINFALL RATES MAY LEAD TO RAPID RISES OF WATER IN LOW- LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AS WELL AS SOME SMALL STREAMS. 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. &&

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JUST IN: Flood Warning Issued for Arlington

A sudden spate of thunderstorms has prompted a flood warning for Arlington County.

The National Weather Service is warning of possible flooding through 7:15 p.m.

Full details from the NWS:

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Flood Warning for…
The western District of Columbia…
The City of Fairfax in northern Virginia…
Arlington County in northern Virginia…
The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia…
Fairfax County in northern Virginia…
The City of Manassas Park in northern Virginia…
Central Prince William County in northern Virginia…
The northwestern City of Alexandria in northern Virginia…

* Until 715 PM EDT.

* At 116 PM EDT, trained weather spotters reported heavy rain in
Centreville, Virginia due to thunderstorms that will cause
flooding. Up to two inches of rain have already fallen.

* Some locations that may experience flooding include…
Arlington, Alexandria, Centreville, Reston, Annandale, Springfield,
Herndon, Fairfax, Vienna, Falls Church, Mantua, Pimmit Hills,
Mclean, Howard University, American Legion Bridge, Reagan National
Airport, Rosslyn, Crystal City, Potomac and Burke.

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.

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UPDATE: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Arlington

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Updated at 5 p.m. — Several instances of flooded roadways and five downed trees have been reported in various parts of Arlington after a thunderstorm packing heavy rain, hail and strong, gusty winds rolled through the county at the start of the evening rush hour. Thus far no significant power outages have been reported.

Update at 4:15 p.m. — The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Arlington through 5 p.m. More from NWS:

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
411 PM EDT MON AUG 13 2018

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA… THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA…

* UNTIL 500 PM EDT.

* AT 410 PM EDT, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER LAKE RIDGE, OR NEAR WOODBRIDGE, MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE…TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN  INDEPENDENT HILL IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY.

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, ANNANDALE, SPRINGFIELD, FORT WASHINGTON, FORT HUNT, GROVETON, HUNTINGTON, FORT BELVOIR, REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, CRYSTAL CITY, BURKE, LINCOLNIA, LORTON, FRANCONIA, HYBLA VALLEY, NEWINGTON, LAKE BARCROFT, I395 AND I495 INTERCHANGE AND BALLSTON.

Earlier: Weather watchers say some heavy rain this afternoon could produce dangerous flooding in Arlington.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for the county and several other jurisdictions around the D.C. region through 10 p.m. today.

The NWS is warning that “slow-moving showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening will be capable of producing intense rainfall rates that could lead to flash flooding.”

Full details from the NWS below:

District of Columbia-Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-Shenandoah-
Warren-Fairfax-Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Hardy-
Western Grant-Eastern Grant-
Including the cities of Washington, Bowie, Suitland-Silver Hill,
Clinton, College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel, Camp Springs,
Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn, South Gate, Severna Park, Arnold,
Odenton, Strasburg, Woodstock, Mount Jackson, New Market,
Front Royal, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly,
McLean, Franconia, Arlington, Alexandria, Moorefield, Bayard,
Mount Storm, and Petersburg
105 PM EDT Mon Aug 13 2018

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING…

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has expanded
the

* Flash Flood Watch to include portions of central Maryland, The
District of Columbia, Virginia, and eastern West Virginia,
including the following areas, in central Maryland, Anne
Arundel and Prince Georges. The District of Columbia. In
Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Fairfax,
Shenandoah, and Warren. In eastern West Virginia, Eastern
Grant, Hardy, and Western Grant.

* Until 10 PM EDT this evening

* Slow moving showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and
evening will be capable of producing intense rainfall rates
that could lead to flash flooding.

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.

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Morning Notes

Flash Flood Watch Today — Arlington and much of the region is again under a Flash Flood Watch today and through early Saturday. Heavy rains expected during the day and evening may cause flash flooding, forecasters say. [Twitter, Weather.gov]

Smoke the Dog Visits Nats Park — Smoke, the Arlington shelter dog with terminal cancer who’s become an internet star for his quest to check off his “bucket list,” had quite a Thursday. The hound got to visit home plate at Nationals Park yesterday, and also got to go home to a new adoptive dog mom. [WJLA]

Arlington Unemployment Rate Still Lowest in Va. — “Despite a second month in a row of upticks, Arlington’s unemployment rate in June remained the envy of Virginia’s 132 other cities and counties. With 150,837 county residents in the civilian workforce and 3,393 looking for jobs, Arlington’s non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 2.2 percent in June was lowest in the commonwealth.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

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More Severe Flooding on the GW Parkway Near DCA Unlikely, Park Service Says

There may be yet more rain in the forecast, fresh on the heels of last month’s persistent storms, but don’t expect to see the sort of flooding that trapped dozens of people in their cars on the GW Parkway two weeks back.

That’s the word from National Park Service officials, who believe the waves of water covering the parkway back on July 17 were more a fluke than anything else.

The flooding, which impacted a stretch of the road as it winds past Reagan National Airport, was severe enough to strand about 25 cars on the parkway until firefighters could get them to safety. But the NPS doesn’t see much it can do to prevent that sort of flooding from happening again, simply because parkway officials believe it was largely a result of the extraordinarily rapid rate of rainfall.

Jonathan Shafer, a NPS spokesman, noted that meteorologists recorded more than 2.6 inches of rain per hour falling at the airport that day.

“Maintenance staff from [the parkway] think the drainage system there was overwhelmed by the large amount of runoff,” Shafer told ARLnow via email.

Shafer added that parkway “[does not] believe this area has flooded due to rain in recent memory,” though water main breaks have occasionally caused some problems north of the airport.

Warren Stewart, a 22-year resident of Northern Virginia, agrees that he’s never seen the parkway look as it did two weeks ago. He was driving toward D.C. to pick his son up from school on July 17 when he saw what looked like “a creek coming down the road.”

“From my truck back, it was not flooded and the cars in front of me were,” Stewart said. “They were bailing water out of their cars with buckets… Water rose up as high as their tail lights, for some of them.”

The parkway hasn’t experienced anything like the mid-July flooding since then, even as rain has continued to pound the region. That’s why Shafer thinks the best solution to avoiding any similar scary situations on the parkway is for drivers to “exercise caution” getting on the road when storms pick up.

“Conditions can change fast, and it’s hard to predict when and how the weather might affect them,” he wrote.

Shafer says the park service is hard at work studying drainage and stormwater management improvements on other sections of the parkway, though construction is likely years away.

Photo via @ArlingtonVaFD

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Flash Flood Watch Issued for Arlington, Region

Arlington and much of the region is under a Flash Flood Watch today.

Forecasters are warning of the possibility of “multiple rounds of torrential rainfall” that could result in flash flooding given the already-saturated ground.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS EXPANDED THE * FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE PORTIONS OF MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA… MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR TARGETED AREAS THROUGH TONIGHT. GIVEN SATURATED SOIL FROM RECENT RAINFALL, REPETITIVE HEAVY RAIN MAY RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING. * URBAN AREAS, LOCATIONS ALONG SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS, AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO FLASH FLOODING. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE EXTENDED THROUGH FRIDAY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED. &&

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