Severe thunderstorms pounded the D.C. area with wind gusts soaring up to 60 mph Thursday evening.
The entire metro area experienced a line of thunderstorms, which moved from west to east with heavy rains. Trees and wires have been falling from the 60 mph winds as the storm lingers over the Beltway.
In Northern Virginia, about 56,000 customers lost power, according to a Dominion Energy spokesperson. The utility estimates it will take until Friday evening to restore power.
“We are seeing a lot of trees on the line, several broken poles and cross arms,” the spokesperson said in an email statement. “But we have a good bit of crews out right now working and we are bringing in more crews and contractors from tother regions to help.”
As of 10 p.m., the storm threat was over but there will be some showers and thundershowers until midnight, according to WTOP meterologist Mike Stinneford.
It will be muggy overnight with areas of fog. A cold front will set off more storms Friday afternoon and evening, and some of these storms may be severe, Stinneford said.
The storms are expected to reach the D.C. area late in the day into the evening. Some of these storms may also contain damaging wind gusts or large hail. On the whole, Friday won’t bring any relief from the high temperatures. It’ll still be dangerously hot and thunderstorms are expected.
“We’ll get a break from the storms on Saturday, but there will be a risk of severe storms again Sunday afternoon and evening,” Stinneford said.
Heat index values were expected to peak around 100 degrees in parts of the D.C. area Thursday afternoon.
All outdoor activities scheduled between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. were canceled at Fairfax County Public Schools Thursday, including recess and after school activities.
Montgomery County Public Schools announced that Wootton High School closed at noon Thursday as the school has no air conditioning because of a burst pipe.
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7News First Alert Forecast
THURSDAY
Partly cloudy, very hot; isolated PM T-storms
Highs: 92-97
Winds: West 5-10 mph
THURSDAY NIGHT
Cloudy to partly cloudy
Lows: 70-76
Winds: West 5-10 mph
FRIDAY
Partly sunny, very hot; tracking PM storm chances
Highs: 93-98
Winds: South 10-15 mph
Delmarva Beaches Friday: Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and Ocean City will be hot and increasingly humid with highs in the middle 80s to near 90. A southwest breeze will develop during the afternoon. Scattered thunderstorms are possible late day and into the evening, some potentially strong.
SATURDAY
Mostly sunny
Highs: near 90
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
The cold front will move offshore and bring somewhat drier air to the Mid-Atlantic. Sunshine will return for much of the day with noticeably lower humidity compared to Thursday and Friday, the stickiness factor won’t feel as extreme. High temperatures will still reach around 90 degrees, but dew points will drop into the upper 50s and lower 60s, making conditions significantly more comfortable. A stray afternoon shower cannot be ruled out, but most locations stay dry. A much nicer beach day is expected with sunshine, lower humidity and highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s. Water temperatures remain cool, but beach conditions look favorable with lower storm chances.
SUNDAY
Scattered clouds; isolated PM showers, storms
Highs: lower 90s
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
Another warm day is expected with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90 degrees. Humidity will gradually begin increasing again. Most of the day should remain dry, but an approaching front could trigger a few late afternoon or evening showers and thunderstorms. Coverage appears limited at this time, but the chance for rain will be increasing by Sunday night. Most beach communities stay dry through much of the day, although a few late day showers or thunderstorms cannot be ruled out by evening.
CURRENT CONDITIONS
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