Thousands were left without electricity in the D.C. region on Thursday after strong thunderstorms downed trees, damaged power lines and stranded commuters in floodwaters.
Some residents were still picking up the pieces Thursday evening after a cluster of storms brought quarter-size hail and damaging winds through the D.C. and Baltimore suburbs.
Montgomery and Loudoun counties perhaps bore the brunt of Thursday’s severe weather: Radar-estimated rainfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour led to flash flooding on roadways near Bethesda. Hail over an inch in diameter fell around Leesburg, where crews were still working to unblock parts of Va. Route 7 during evening commute.
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Utility crews responded to multiple downed wires in the Silver Spring and Potomac areas of Montgomery County. Trees fell on power lines and the front porch of home in Northwest D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood; no injuries were reported.
PEPCO was aware of 2,100 customers under outages in Montgomery County as of 7 p.m. Thursday. Across the Potomac, Virginia’s Dominion Energy reported nearly 1,700 homes and business without power in Loudoun County, with 1,100 of its Fairfax County customers also in the dark.
Rising water stranded vehicles on Goldsboro Road between River Road and Massachusetts Avenue near Bethesda, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said. All their occupants moved to safety and none were injured.
Didn’t have to go far to see damage from this powerful storm cell moving through Friendship Heights. This is in the parking garage at the WTOP studio. @WTOP pic.twitter.com/MATCBYi1oG
— Mike Murillo (@MikeMurilloWTOP) June 2, 2022
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. Download the free WTOP News app for Android and Apple phones to sign up for custom traffic and weather alerts.
Forecast:
- Thursday overnight: Lingering rain tapering off after midnight. Becoming cooler and less humid. Lows: mid 50s to mid 60s.
- Friday: Becoming mostly sunny, cooler and less humid. Highs in the lower 80s.
- Saturday: Sunny and pleasant with low humidity. Highs around 80.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.
