A donation drive for people affected by Hurricane Helene is taking place in Arlington this week.
From noon to 7 p.m. today (Wednesday) and Friday, the county’s four public safety agencies are collecting supplies for North Carolina residents impacted by the storm’s destruction.
Arlington and most of the D.C. area is now under both a Tornado Watch and a Flood Watch.
The Tornado Watch is in effect until 2 p.m. Friday while the Flood Watch is in effect until 8 p.m. Both were issued Thursday evening while the former Gulf Coast hurricane now labeled as Tropical Depression Debby makes its way north into Virginia.
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole are heading our way, meaning a soggy and stormy Veterans Day is on tap.
The rain will start falling early Friday morning. Downpours and gusty winds are expected to follow as the day goes on, before the skies clear Saturday.
Rain and wind associated with Hurricane Ian are expected to ramp up tonight in the D.C. area, but the biggest local impacts might be on your weekend plans.
Already a number of Arlington events have been modified or rescheduled, including:
Hurricane Ian is poised to slam parts of Florida today and tomorrow before making its way north, potentially bringing heavy rain to our area.
Virginia often urges residents to have a hurricane preparedness plan, but we’re wondering whether Arlington residents actually do that. After all, it’s the coastal areas like Virginia Beach that are more vulnerable to hurricanes, while Arlington is more insulated from the worst of the impacts thanks to our inland location.
(Updated at 11:50 a.m.) If the early morning lightning storm didn’t wake you up, congratulations: you’re either an exceptionally deep sleeper or have some very high quality windows.
A supercell thunderstorm spawned ahead of the remnants of Hurricane Ida brought exceptionally frequent lightning and thunder to the area between 3-4 a.m. The light show and the loud booms awakened numerous local residents, not to mention their dogs and kids.
Northam Declares State of Emergency — “Governor Ralph Northam today declared a state of emergency to respond to impacts from Tropical Depression Ida, which is expected to cause heavy rains and flooding along the I-81 and I-66 corridors. Localities in the southwest region have already experienced heavy rainfall in recent days, leading to flash floods and complicating storm preparation efforts. In addition to the flood threat, there is also a risk of tornadoes across the Commonwealth.” [Gov. Ralph Northam]
Jail to Distribute Fentanyl Tests — “Beginning September 1, 2021, Arlington County will begin to distribute fentanyl test strips to individuals being released from incarceration. This new effort is in response to rising overdose numbers.” [Arlington County]
Local Pet Rescue Orgs Take in Hurricane Evacuees — “One of the first transports of dogs arrived Sunday with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, which was able to find fosters to take in evacuated dogs from Mississippi shelters… Homeward Trails Animal Rescue is another rescue urgently working to take in dogs and cats in Hurricane Ida’s path… ‘Fostering or adopting an animal NOW will save more than that one life. It will save dozens. Please donate, foster and adopt NOW.'” [WUSA 9, WTOP, WJLA]
Arlington Girl Hooks Record-Setting Fish — “If you happen to meet 5-year-old Caroline May Evans, she may want to tell you about the fish she caught. It’s a story worth hearing: She and her mom and dad hiked 12 miles into the remote Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, where she swung a red worm over the outlet of a lake with no name and caught what turns out to be a world-record golden trout. Caroline’s fish, landed on July 8, a few days before her 5th birthday, weighed 2 pounds, a remarkable size for a golden.” [Field and Stream]
(Updated at noon) The remnants of Hurricane Ida are heading our way, and forecasters are already warning of potential flooding.
Ida has ravaged portions of Louisiana and Mississippi since making landfall as a Category 4 storm Sunday afternoon. It knocked out power to more than a million homes and businesses, including the entire city of New Orleans; interrupted 911 service; and caused catastrophic flooding, prompting numerous water rescues.
Update at 4 p.m. — The Flood Warning has now been cancelled.
Earlier: As what remains of Hurricane Zeta drenches the region, Arlington County is now under a Flood Warning, meaning flooding is currently happening or is imminent.
Update at 12:15 p.m. — A Flood Warning has now been issued.
Earlier: Arlington and much of the region is under a Flood Watch as the remnants of Hurricane Zeta track across the South and towards the D.C. area.
Isaias made landfall in North Carolina last night as a Category 1 hurricane and is now approaching the D.C. area as a tropical storm.
Wind from the storm is expected to ramp up locally over the next hour, but the main threat remains heavy rain.
