It’s raining magnolia petals on the Hill. pic.twitter.com/0wVBQgteYx
— Cecilia Cackley (@citymousedc) April 4, 2018
BECOMING WINDY as cooler air moves in today behind a cold front. Gusty winds up to 50 mph will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down & a few power outages may result. Rain showers (even a gusty thunderstorm) are possible. [image 5:25am] pic.twitter.com/TcjI171BKG
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) April 4, 2018
#WEATHERALERT: Rain along I-81 is heading for I-95. Here are the estimated times of arrival for @DMVFollowers around the DC Metro area. Strong winds will follow the rain and could gust to 50mph at time from noon to 7pm. #Working4You pic.twitter.com/Gcja3ZwiAE
— Chuck Bell (@ChuckBell4) April 4, 2018
A fairly nice start early this morning .. breezy/windy but not too cold. A cold front will bring a period of rain around the midday hours, windy conditions and falling temperatures. #WindyWednesday pic.twitter.com/HNmXNk0n0A
— Amelia Draper (@amelia_draper) April 4, 2018
WASHINGTON — Stout winds roughed up the D.C. region Wednesday afternoon, and were expected to continue into the evening.
Expect sustained winds of 25–35 mph, with a strong possibility of gusts reaching over 50 mph, said Storm Team4 Meteorologist Chuck Bell. As of 4:15 p.m., winds of 30 mph — and gusts of 45 mph — had been recorded at Reagan National Airport.
Forecast
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory that will remain in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday. Temperatures, which had been as high as 70 at 10:30 a.m., are expected to fall into the 50s before sunset.
Wednesday night will be breezy and cold, with clear skies and temperatures in the low/mid 30s by Thursday morning, and wind chills in the 20s.
Thursday will be sunny and chilly, with highs in the low/mid 50s and a stiff northwest breeze.
Travel and transportation
The Maryland Transportation Authority placed restrictions on state bridges throughout Wednesday amid the winds. They include the Key Bridge (I-695); the Bay Bridge (U.S. 50/301); the Harry Nice Bridge (US. Route 301); the Thomas Hatem Bridge (U.S. Route 40); and the Millard Tydings Bridge (I-95).
(Get wind restriction updates from the MDTA on Twitter. Find more details about what such restrictions mean on the MDTA site.)
Aside from that, there has been no other visible impact on area traffic, according to WTOP traffic reporter Bob Marbourg.
Power outages
As of 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, outages around the region were limited, with about 2,000 customers affected.
“Use extreme caution when traveling today and remember to never go near a downed power line. Always assume the line is energized and call 911,” Bell said.
If your power goes out, contact your electricity provider at one of the links or numbers below:
- Dominion Energy: 866-366-4357
- NOVEC: 703-335-0500 or 888-335-0500
- Pepco: 877-737-2662
- Potomac Edison: 888-544-4877
- BGE: 877-778-2222
- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative: 800-552-3904
Monitor any reported outages in the map below.
