The Washington DC region was hit by strong thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon, causing flash flood warnings, tornado alerts, and several airport delays. The slow-moving storms brought dark clouds, heavy rain, and strong winds to parts of Maryland, Virginia, and the District itself.
As the storms moved across the area, flooding caused damage in the area. Local media reported that floodwaters rose quickly, reaching up to 2 feet deep in the City of Alexandria. Main Street in Historic Ellicott City was shut down as a precaution.
FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS AND DISRUPTIONS
Several flash flood warnings were issued throughout the evening. In Maryland, Howard and Carroll counties were under warning until 9:15 PM (local time), while Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties had warnings until 10:15 PM (local media). A warning for northeastern Carroll County was extended until 10:30 PM. A flood watch remains in effect for most of the DC region until midnight.
The weather also disrupted flights. Ground stops were issued at Dulles International Airport until 9:30 PM and at Baltimore-Washington International Airport until 8:30 PM, delaying many departures and arrivals.
Earlier in the evening, a tornado warning was issued around 6:45 PM for northeast Washington, DC, after radar detected a severe thunderstorm near Howard University that showed signs of rotation. Though the warning has since expired, meteorologists said the storm had the potential to produce a tornado and caused wind gusts of up to 55 mph.
MORE RAIN EXPECTED
The storms also caused flooding at Reagan National Airport, where video showed rain pouring from the ceiling near a Metro entrance. Nearly an inch of rain fell there in less than 20 minutes.
Storms are expected to die out by midnight, but light rain may continue overnight. Temperatures will hover in the mid-70s.
On Thursday, conditions are expected to be humid, with highs in the upper 80s. Clouds will thicken and showers may become widespread, bringing another chance of flooding. By Friday, storm chances will decrease slightly, but humidity and scattered storms will remain in the forecast.
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