Rare Summer Nor’easter To Cause Friday Afternoon Flooding

UPDATE (WMAL) — 12:27PM Montgomery County Police have released a photo of some of the flooding in Gaithersburg:

This photo, taken by Brett Livingston shows severe flooding on Clopper Road and Firstfield Road in Gaithersburg, MD.

Gaithersburg pic.twitter.com/fNXbGjXjua

— Brett Livingston (@bkl5477) July 28, 2017

11:49AM: Approximately 3 inches of rain has already fallen in Wheaton and Gaithersburg, MD, where Montgomery County Fire Spokesman Calvin Thomas has said several water rescues are ongoing.

He added that in many of these rescues, drivers have been able to get themselves out of the floodwaters without assistance from the fire department, but cautions that they are expecting many more.

A WMAL tipster called in to report flooding on Veirs Mill Rd. that is making the road completely impassable in both directions between Conneticuit Ave. and Claridge Rd.

He apparently called while stranded in the floodwaters with others also stuck alongside him.

Current flood warnings are taking effect in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland counties.

For a full list of current warnings click here.

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EARLIER REPORTING:

Wyn Delano
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON (WMAL) — A rare summer nor’easter will move across the D.C. area this afternoon, prompting flash-flood warnings, strong winds, and a very slow and potentially dangerous Friday commute.

To many, a nor’easter evokes a winter storm – oftentimes with a great deal of snow. Meteorologist Ray Stagich from The Weather Channel, however, explains:

“Nor’easters are more of a function of the north east wind not a function of precipitation type or intensity,” adding that seeing a storm like this in the summer is rare.

The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood watch for a majority of Northern Virginia, the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, and D.C. that begins on Friday afternoon and continues a full 24 hours into Saturday afternoon.

This storm is being taken seriously, according to Stagich, because of the potential for it to sap energy from other damaging storms moving across the United States.

“I don’t want to go catastrophic, but I don’t know if you’ve seen the video out of Kansas City and on through parts of south, south-central Missouri…some of that energy is trickling into this system,” Stagich warned.

Stagich also urged people to keep up to date with weather alerts, as any of these watches could be upgraded to warnings – the highest alert level – at any time:

“When you get the warnings, that’s when you want to take action. So if you’re in an area that you already know when you get 2-4 inches of rainfall in a short period of time you’re going to flood, I’d say start making your preparations now.”

With the storm looking to be at its most damaging Friday afternoon, many people at work in D.C. are now facing a cold, hard reality Stagich says:

“The afternoon commute? Brrrrr. Done.”

Mr. Stagich was then asked at what time people should be leaving or returning to the D.C area tonight to avoid the brunt of this storm.

His response?

“Now.”