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Damages reported after tornado warnings, thunderstorms in DC area

Thursday’s storms have dampened the heat in the D.C. area, but they also brought damage, traffic delays and power outages. Here’s what you need to know. Two tornado warning were issued in D.C. Maryland and Virginia Thursday night. Widespread damage has been reported in Arlington, Virginia, with numerous trees, wires and poles blown down. In one instance, a large tree fell down on a house on the 4300 block of 16th Street North, trapping a person inside. Arlington Fire & EMS said that the person was extracted from the home and taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injures.

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Earlier Thursday, the National Weather Service had also issued a tornado warning for central Anne Arundel County in Maryland and northeastern Prince George’s County. D.C.; parts of Northern Virginia, including Fairfax and Arlington counties and Alexandria; and Maryland, including Montgomery and Prince George’s counties were under a flash flood warning for over two hours before it was cancelled.

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Parts of the D.C. area were under a flash flood warning due the heavy rain that fell in short periods of time. Somewhere between 1 to 3 inches in total, and maybe 4 inches in some areas, had been predicted. The storms had an impact on traffic in the area, particularly on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where delays were over 5 miles eastbound to the Ritchie Highway exit, and traffic was halted due to heavy rain. Restrictions on the bridge have ended, but there were still residual delays. Elsewhere, the WTOP Traffic Center reported several dark traffic lights throughout D.C.-area roads, as well as downed trees and wires and storm debris. In Montgomery County, a large tree fell into an apartment building in Silver Spring, and occupants were evacuated. No injuries have been reported. Pete Piringer with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue said residents in five apartments have to find a new place to stay.

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Meanwhile in Prince George’s County, a large tree fell onto a house, landing inside a bedroom on the second floor. No injuries have been reported.

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Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Michael Mayo said most of the calls for service were in the Davidsonville, Crofton, Crownsville and Annapolis areas. “We had multiple homes with trees on them. No reports of any injuries in any of those homes or entrapments. We did have a couple of vehicles with trees on them. Also with no injuries or entrapments,” Mayo said. In Northwest D.C., a tree fell on a house on 32nd Street. An upstairs bedroom and the back deck were damaged, but the neighbor across the street told WTOP’s Michelle Basch that no one was home. The neighbor said the impact sounded like a car crash.

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In the Capitol Hill Neighborhood, a tree fell down on Massachusetts Avenue SE near Lincoln Park.

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Outages

Thousands of residents in the area lost power. Some 21,000 lost power in Prince George’s County in Maryland, particularly in Bowie, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS spokesman Jennifer Donelan said. “We’ve got traffic lights out, for instance, on Route 50. So it’s gonna be basically just getting the county back online in terms of power, getting the traffic lights working,” Donelan said.

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There were about 50 to 60 calls for service for fire lines down throughout Anne Arundel County, Mayo said. “And at one point we had about 40 call for service just for water and roadway trees, down power lines. Let’s do that. We have no information of any weather related injuries at this point,” Mayo said.

Forecast

The rain brought on a temperature drop, and on Friday, relief arrives with highs in the mid 70s to low 80s. Storm Team4 meteorologist Mike Stinneford said a shower or storm is possible on Friday, but it won’t be a washout. There may be some scattered rain on Saturday, but the Fourth of July plans to be pleasant and dry, Stinneford said. Thursday night: Showers and occasional thunderstorms, some heavy downpours still possible, especially south of D.C. Mild and muggy. Lows: mid 60s to near 70. Friday: A few leftover showers in the morning, then a mix of clouds and sun. Breezy and warm but turning less humid. Highs: upper 70s to low 80s. Saturday: Mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or a thunderstorm, otherwise mild and comfortable. Highs: upper 70s to near 80. Sunday (Fourth of July): Partly sunny. Warmer but still dry and comfortable. Highs: low to mid 80s.

Weather Radar 

Hot, humid week ahead for DC area with severe storm risk

A dangerous heat wave will grip the D.C. area through Thursday, with highs in the mid to upper 90s and heat index values between 100 and 105. Hot and humid conditions are expected through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, which said to expect daily thunderstorm chances and a risk of severe thunderstorms. 7News Meteorologist Eileen Whelan told WTOP that most of Tuesday will stay dry, but a few late-day thunderstorms are possible, especially north and east of D.C. as storms drift south from Pennsylvania. Any storm could produce damaging wind gusts and hail, but Whelan reiterated "storm chances are low" on Tuesday. Due to a lack of air conditioning, Parkdale High School in Riverdale, Maryland, closed early at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Prince George's County Public Schools said in a social media post.
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