WASHINGTON — Severe weather that socked the D.C. area Thursday uprooted trees and ripped the roofs off a few buildings.
But with the wet ground and gusty winds, storm-weakened trees are continuing to topple, fire department officials warn.
“Trees are still coming down today,” the Arlington County Fire Department tweeted Friday, sharing pictures of a tree that crashed into a home and caused minor injuries Friday.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service responded to a report of a downed tree on a house that had also pulled electrical wires down, the department tweeted. There were no reported injuries.
“We have had several trees crash down, bringing wires down and in a few instances the trees have hit homes,” Pete Piringer, spokesman with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, told WTOP. There’s been no serious injury as a result, but we still have things falling out there. So, as the wind continues to blow about, you can expect some debris here and there.”
There are wind advisories in place for higher elevations where winds are gusting near 50 mph. Closer to D.C., wind gusts are forecast to hit 35-45 mph, raising concerns about falling trees. See the full forecast on WTOP’s weather page.
Thursday’s storms sent a tree toppling into an Annandale, Virginia, home causing significant damage, although the residents, a retired couple in the home at the time, were not injured.
In Montgomery County, people can report downed trees or tree limbs using 311. If trees bring wires down, authorities advise calling 911 and remember to treat all wires as if they were live.
In Arlington County, call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 703-228-6525 for fallen trees and branches on county streets and in parks during regular business hours.
To report hazardous trees or branches over state roads, call the Virginia Department of Transportation at 703-486-3393.
Downed power lines should be treated as an emergency and reported to 911.
