Arlington County

After Days of Rain, DC Area Finally Gets a Break

After days of soaking rain. the D.C. area is finally getting a break. 

But the dry weather won't last long, Storm Team4 says. 

Thursday will be mostly dry, with sunshine and temperatures in the upper 80s. Storm Team4 meteorologist Sheena Parveen says there's a small chance for a stray shower later in the day, but most of the area will stay dry. 

Friday will also be dry for most of the day, but a line of storms may move through the area in the evening. There's a chance some of these storms may become severe. 

Rainy weather has drenched the D.C. area every day this week. In some parts of the D.C. area, 10 to 12 inches of rain have fallen over the past seven days.

Wednesday's heavy and slow-moving rain turned some D.C. roads into rivers, sent water crashing through the ceiling of a Virginia restaurant and flooded multiple levels of a mall parking garage.

A flood warning is in effect for parts of Virginia and Maryland until 7:45 a.m. Thursday. 

Numerous roads were closed Wednesday night because of flooding, and it's not known at this time which of those roadways will be open for the morning commute.

The National Weather Service said Sligo Creek in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Cranberry Branch near Westminster rose 4 to 7 feet in the span of just an hour. Flooding on Sligo Creek has been deadly in previous years, the NWS warned on Twitter. Rock Creek also surpassed its flood stage about 8:30 p.m.

With heavy rain battering the D.C. area, the phrase "Turn around, don't drown" bears repeating. But what if you find yourself in an area where you can't turn back. Here are some tips for driving safely in flood conditions.

Downpours soaked the region Tuesday morning, and a short-lived tornado damaged property at a high school in Fairfax County just ahead of the morning rush.

Monday night, a woman was killed after a tree fell onto her home, possibly due to soaked ground, authorities said.

Basements and ballparks are flooded in Frederick, where the Monocacy River crested above the flood stage Wednesday. Chris Gordon reports.

"Obviously with all the rain in the past couple of days, the roots of these trees have really loosened up," Fairfax County Battalion Chief Willie Bailey said.

The tree fell through the roof and onto the second floor, killing the woman. Her husband was nearby but survived.  

A tree crashed into a home in Burke, Virginia, killing a woman inside. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue are working to stabilize the home before they can remove the tree and the woman's body. News4's Shomari Stone reports.

Storm Team4 says the weekend will be mostly dry, with a chance for an isolated shower Saturday and a chance for a few showers Sunday. 

The rainy pattern is expected to return next week, and it could last for several days. 

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