WASHINGTON — Standing water on roads continues to hamper traffic in the D.C. region hours after heavy rain bogged down what normally would have been a light end-of the week commute.
In D.C., drivers should expect delays westbound on the freeway because of high water before the outbound 14th Street Bridge. In Anne Arundel County, standing water continued to close lanes on U.S. 50 between Davidsonville Road and Interstate 97.
Earlier, Fairfax County firefighters rescued one person after their car became trapped in high water on Laywers Road near Vienna. And standing water had been reported in the Third Street Tunnel near the C Street ramp.
As much as 3 inches of rain had fallen by midmorning over parts of the region, said Storm Team 4 meteorologist Chuck Bell.
Flood warnings were allowed to expire but the high water remains, Bell said.
The heavy rains have moved out of the region. And the sun will make an appearance this afternoon, which will allow temperatures to rise into the mid 70s. The warming temperatures however could lead to another chance for scattered thunderstorms, Bell said.
Some of those storms that do develop, however, could be intense, he said.
Friday morning, crashes, ponding on roads and downed trees caused havoc for drivers.
River Road between Seneca and Esworthy Road was expected to remain closed into the afternoon to repair utility poles damaged in the storm. Trees also fell onto the road, according to Montgomery County police.
“Today was not a good day,” said WTOP Traffic reporter Jack Taylor. “People were over-driving the conditions.”
Taylor called the timing of the intense, rainstorm that spread over most of the region as “horrible” because it arrived during the heart of the morning rush hour.
In the District, WTOP’s Neal Augenstein took video footage of the rainy conditions along Klingle Road, where a tree fell, blocking westbound traffic.
Huge fallen tree blocks westbound traffic on Klingle Rd NW, before Beach Drive. @WTOPtraffic #dctraffic pic.twitter.com/W3fn1egJy4
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) May 5, 2017
Tree uprooted that is now lying across Klingle Rd NW, blocking traffic pic.twitter.com/LubvchS5EO
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) May 5, 2017
WTOP listeners shared their own experiences on Twitter this morning.
@DDOTDC @DCPoliceDept @WTOPtraffic 16th street south bound under Scott circle is just about impassable due to high water.
— Mr. Lewis (@Mr_Lewis_WH9) May 5, 2017
It’s horrible out there today, little visibility. Drivers, pls turn headlights on fully so you are more visible. ☔️@WTOPtraffic @wamu885news
— Valeska M Hilbig (@NMAHhilbigv) May 5, 2017
@WTOPtraffic route 28 S. Willard Rd. left lane blocked Highwater
— Lew Little (@LewLittle) May 5, 2017
@WTOPtraffic Tons of surface flooding on Route 27 by pentagon due to bridge construction blocking water, grates. @VaDOTNOVA 5+ inches
— Consumer Protection (@LegalCenter) May 5, 2017
Flooding in Chantilly, VA at the corner of Westfields Blvd and Park Meadow Drive. @WTOPtraffic pic.twitter.com/HpXORd7kT9
— Aisha Niazi (@foxymop) May 5, 2017
WTOP’s Jennifer Ortiz, Mike Jakaitis and Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.
