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Tornado warnings, flash flooding, water rescues as Ida’s remnants push into DC region

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“Everything from blinding rain and flash flooding, to tornado-producing thunderstorms is on the table,” Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell said. “The weather will deteriorate quickly this afternoon and travel is strongly discouraged.”

The remnants of Hurricane Ida sparked nearly constant lightning over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. before dawn on Sept. 1, 2021. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

The remnants of Hurricane Ida are battering the D.C. region Wednesday afternoon, bringing the threat of tornadoes and flash flooding to a region already inundated with water from recent storms.

What to know:

  • A Tornado Warning is in effect in south central Harford and southeastern Baltimore counties in Maryland until 3:15 p.m.
  • A Flash Flood Warning has been issued in Carroll and Frederick counties in Maryland until 5:30 p.m.
  • A tornado touched down near Annapolis, Maryland, around 2:15 p.m.
  • Several area roadways suffered damage from flood waters and debris. The WTOP Traffic Center has the latest on road conditions.

Around 2:15 p.m., the National Weather Service said radar confirmed the presence of a tornado in the area of Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. They advised anyone in the area to take cover immediately until the threat passes.

The storm will be with us for the next day and a half, but its effects are already being felt far and wide. Predawn storms dumped between 1 and 3 inches of rain over Northern Virginia and Maryland. Around 3 a.m., more than 300 lightning bolts were detected in a 15-minute time span.

After a morning break and a few peeks of sun, rain picked up again as Ida’s remnant low tracked over the Appalachians into Pennsylvania. Around 1 p.m., the National Weather Service began issuing the region’s first tornado warnings of the day. Conditions will remain dangerous through the evening, so residents are being advised to stay home if possible.

“Everything from blinding rain and flash flooding, to tornado-producing thunderstorms is on the table,” Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell said. “The weather will deteriorate quickly this afternoon and travel is strongly discouraged … work from home if you can, leave work early if possible.”

Severe weather warnings and watches:
  • A Tornado Warning is in effect in south central Harford and southeastern Baltimore counties in Maryland until 3:15 p.m.
  • A Flash Flood Warning has been issued in Carroll and Frederick counties in Maryland until 5:30 p.m.
  • A Tornado Watch has been issued for much of the WTOP listening area until 7 p.m. including D.C.; Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties in Virginia; and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.
  • A Flood Warning is in effect for the District of Columbia. Gauge reports on Rock Creek indicate flooding is ongoing.
  • A Flood Warning is in effect for portions of Fairfax County. Difficult Run at Wolf Trap is in flood stage, but water levels are slowly falling.
  • A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through Thursday morning for the WTOP listening area.
Other warnings and watches:
  • A Coastal Flood Watch is in effect for the Anne Arundel County shoreline from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning. Up to 2 feet of inundation above ground level are possible in low lying areas due to tidal flooding.
Closings and delays:
  • Montgomery County Public Schools are closing two-and-a-half hours early.
  • Fairfax County Public Schools have canceled all after-school activities.
  • Howard County Public Schools will close three hours early, including the Digital Education center. Aftercare and evening activities are canceled.
  • Fauquier County Public Schools are closing early. High and middle schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. and elementary schools at 1:30 p.m. All after-school activities are canceled.
  • Spotsylvania County Public Schools have canceled all after-school activities.
  • Stafford County Public Schools buildings are closed. Staff will telework and students will be in asynchronous learning.
  • Afterschool D.C. Public Schools programming is canceled. Same for Carroll, Culpeper, and Frederick, Anne Arundel, Loudoun and Arlington counties public schools as well as Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Alexandria and Fredericksburg City public schools.
  • Tonight’s game between the Nationals and Phillies has been postponed until Thursday afternoon.
  • D.C.’s coronavirus testing and vaccine sites are closed Wednesday because of the storm. Self-testing drop boxes will remain open until 8 p.m.
  • See the full list of closings and delays
Rain totals from Wednesday morning’s storms. Shaded colors show radar-estimated, 12-hour rainfall, while figures show unofficial totals from rain gauges. (Courtesy NWS)

Flooded roadways, water rescues

Ida’s remnants doused the D.C. region with blinding waves of rain and high winds early Wednesday, waking up residents with frequent lightning and triggering flash floods.

Torrential downpours led to high water on some of the D.C. region’s most important roadways. Lane closures were put in place on Interstate 66 and the Capital Beltway’s Inner Loop in Virginia. In the District, a flash flood forced officials to detour traffic off Rock Creek Parkway near the Kennedy Center.

Montgomery County first responders rescued trapped residents from inundated basement-level apartments in Rockville. Crews broke windows and doors to help about 10 people out of two buildings on Twinbrook Parkway by raft.

A 19-year-old was found dead near his apartment, a Montgomery County police spokeswoman said. At least 150 people are displaced with one still unaccounted for. Fire crews were still on location mid-morning pumping out water and searching units.

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has opened a reception center for displaced residents at the Mid-County Community Recreation Center at 2004 Queensguard Rd. in Silver Spring.  The center will be open until 10 p.m. Wednesday. Pets are welcome, but residents are asked to let DHHS know about their pets’ needs ahead of time.

The National Weather Service said thunderstorms had produced between 2 and 4 inches of rain there in a short period of time; an unofficial total of 3 inches was observed near Potomac.

In Northwest D.C., a surge of water scattered debris and broke up surfaces on Broad Branch Road, an area historically vulnerable to flash flooding. WTOP’s Dave Dildine saw morning floodwaters had rendered the road “nearly impassible” with large trees, boulders and slabs of asphalt blocking both lanes on the way down into Rock Creek Park.

The National Weather Service relayed reports of water rescues from stranded vehicles in Reston, Virginia, near Metro Center Drive, and in South Laurel, Maryland, near Brock Bridge and Laurel Bowie roads.

The WTOP Traffic Center reports Sligo Creek Parkway is closed in Silver Spring between Colesville Road and Dennis Avenue due to the ongoing flooding. Twinbrook Parkway is closed between Viers Mill Road and Parklawn Drive after major flooding.

In the northwest District, Broad Branch Road is closed between 24th Street and Ridge Road. Dozens of roads are also closed across Fairfax County.

For the latest road and traffic conditions, see WTOP’s traffic page or listen to updates every 10 minutes online or on the air at 103.5 FM. Submit traffic tips by calling 866-304-WTOP or tagging @WTOPtraffic on Twitter.

Be prepared

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday, and warned Virginians to stay alert —  especially along the I-81 and I-66 corridors.

In D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District’s Emergency Operations Center will be activated. “We are asking residents to take Ida seriously and to pay close attention to the weather conditions and latest alerts,” she said in a statement Tuesday.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan urged residents “to be prepared, take all necessary precautions, follow the local forecast and heed any warnings from local authorities.”

On Wednesday, Hogan directed the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to raise its activation level, allowing it to address local requests for assistance in real-time.

Storms and downpours will make a return after midday, becoming markedly heavier and steadier through midnight Thursday. In its Flash Flood Watch for the region, the weather service notes between 1 and 3 inches of rain are expected — on top of what already fell Wednesday morning.

“This amount of heavy rainfall will not only result in the potential for considerable flash flooding of creeks, small streams, and urban areas, but also the potential for river flooding on the main stem rivers,” the weather service said.

Some communities north and west of D.C. and Baltimore, especially near the Maryland-Pennsylvania state line, could even see new rainfall amounts over 4 inches.

“Remember when warnings are issued to take shelter immediately,” Bell added. “If you live in a flood-prone area, consider moving to higher ground now. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

Louisiana residents are still reeling from damage caused by Ida’s landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm, scrambling for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat. Power and water outages affected hundreds of thousands of people, including much of New Orleans, with many unable to get immediate relief.

The barrier island of Grand Isle, which bore Ida’s full fury, is “uninhabitable,” with every building damaged. The number of deaths from the hurricane climbed to at least four in Louisiana and Mississippi, including two people killed Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep hole.

Forecast:

Wednesday: Scattered storms move west to east from late morning into early afternoon. Flash flood threat with a risk of brief tornadoes. Highs in the mid 70s to near 80.

Wednesday night: Rain and thunderstorms ending around midnight. Turning cooler and less humid. Lows in the mid 60s.

Thursday: Mix of clouds and sun. Breezy. Mild and turning even less humid during the day. Highs in the mid 70s to low 80s.

Friday and Saturday: Mostly sunny, pleasant and comfortable. Highs in the upper 70s to low 80s.

Current conditions:

Outages:

 

WTOP’s Dave Dildine and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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