Photos: Severe storms pass through the DC area in May

WASHINGTON — A line of severe thunderstorms passed through portions of Maryland and Northern Virginia as the sun set Thursday evening.

The storms brought ominous clouds and heavy rain, and they prompted flash flood warnings for portions of Loudoun and Clarke counties in Virginia and Jefferson County in West Virginia.

WTOP staff and listeners captured these images as the storm passed through.

A photo of lightning by the Washington Monument. (Courtesy Tristan Engler)

A thunderstorm blasts spider lightning over Tenleytown (WTOP/Dave Dildine) — A thunderstorm blasts spider lightning over Tenleytown. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

Clouds darken the skies Thursday before a storm in Fairfax County. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

Germantown 8:11pm pic.twitter.com/HWF5QgzmrX
— Jill Kyleen (@jillkyleen12) May 19, 2017

Day versus night, sun versus storm: An electric battle is waged above Washington Thursday night. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

Grills for sale at a Fairfax County, Virginia, Lowes were blowing across parking lot in Thursday evening's storm. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper) — Grills for sale: Grills at a Fairfax County, Virginia, Lowes were blowing across a parking lot in Thursday evening’s storm. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

@CAE_ERSKINE @weatherchannel @WTOP What do these clouds remind you of? #tstorms #Germantown pic.twitter.com/4F1dsx5aWD
— Cathie Eaton, LCPC, GCDF, NCC (@SuprmomcatCathy) May 19, 2017