This video is no longer available.
Late-day storms capped off the start of the workweek with heavy rain pounding the D.C. region in the middle of the afternoon rush.
Those slow-moving thunderstorms Monday prompted a flash flood warning for parts of D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia, as well as a tornado warning in Anne Arundel County in Maryland. About 2 inches of rain fell within a few hours.
WTOP meteorologist Mike Stinneford said a flash flood warning for the District and its close-in suburbs was upgraded to “considerable,” meaning life threatening flash flooding would occur.
Flooding disrupts evening commute
In Fairfax County, Virginia, flash flooding and runoff caused creeks to spill over roadways, such as U.S. Route 50 between Prosperity Avenue and Cedar Lane. Swift water also rushed across Arlington Boulevard, according to WTOP Traffic reporter Dave Dildine.
A caller told the WTOP Traffic Center that water raced across all westbound lanes of the Dulles Toll Road west of the Capital Beltway and traffic came to a complete stop.
Near Glen Echo, Maryland, water spilled out of Minnehaha Branch and overtopped Goldsboro Road, rendering it impassable for a short time, Dildine said.
“In a lot of cases, just as fast as the water rose, it receded. But there were several areas of standing water in travel lanes that remained a problem for drivers on the Beltway near Bethesda and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near Jessup,” Dildine said.
There were also some reports of water rescues in the Tysons, Virginia, area.
WTOP’s Kyle Cooper reported live from Vienna, where Old Courthouse Road had completely flooded: “This is a roadway, but it looks like a river. The water is unbelievably high.”
“The water is just rushing by. This has got to be about the worst I’ve seen,” Cooper added.
Howard County police shut down Main Street in Historic Ellicott City due to rising floodwaters on roadways. Police recommended that residents seek higher ground and to avoid flooded areas.
Montgomery County’s Fire and Rescue team reported helping passengers who were stranded in their vehicles from high water in Silver Spring near Leisure World. Pete Piringer, public information officer with the team, said water reached up to many car trunks.
“If someone gets caught in water, the best thing to do is call 911 if they feel endangered,” Piringer said. “In these particular cases, we prefer to talk to the person having the emergency to give instructions on how to keep safe.”
Storm data
In a typical year, the National Weather Service office in the D.C. area issues one or two moderate risk rainfall outlooks. This July alone, there have already been three, CNN reported.
Overwhelming rainfall is becoming more prevalent as rising temperatures drive weather toward extreme highs. The shift in storm behavior is especially noticeable in the mid-Atlantic region, where heat and humidity build throughout the day, creating the perfect conditions for afternoon blowups.
WTOP’s Dave Dildine and Kyle Cooper contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
