Maryland

Rain Continues to Drench Region; More Expected

The entire region is under a flood watch through Saturday morning

What to Know

  • A flood warning is in effect for parts of Maryland and Virginia, while a flood watch is in place for the entire region.
  • Storm Team4 says heavy rain will continue in the D.C. area through Saturday.
  • A state of emergency is in effect for the city of Frederick and Frederick County, Maryland.

Rain will continue to drench the already soaked D.C. area through the weekend. 

Another couple inches of rain is expected through Saturday in some places, Storm Team4 says. Heavy rain is expected Friday night into Saturday, and rain will continue off and on through Saturday.

On Sunday, though, rain chances will decrease, Storm Team4 says. There is a 40 percent chance of rain or storms, but there could be some sunshine before Monday. 

Storm Team4 declared Friday a Weather Alert Day.

The entire region is under a flood watch through Saturday morning.

Moderate to heavy rain has been falling across the D.C. area all week, and lots of trees have been toppled by the wind and rain.

But there is some good news. 

Storm Team4 says the threat for severe weather is over for now, meaning hail, damaging winds and the risk for tornadoes are no longer in play. But flooding will be a huge concern through the weekend.

Frederick County, Maryland, has been the hardest hit. Parts of the county have seen 10 inches of rain since Tuesday, and another two inches could fall before the week is over.

Frederick County Public Schools canceled afternoon and evening activities Thursday and opened on a two-hour delay Friday.

Photos: Chaotic Scenes as Storms Pummel DC Area

The city of Frederick issued a release Wednesday night alerting residents that the city's wastewater treatment plant was at risk of additional overflow. 

The release asks residents to curtail nonessential water use to avoid potential backups in collection lines and homes and preserve the ability to safely treat wastewater.

City of Frederick Mayor Michael O'Connor declared a state of emergency Wednesday to help the city receive state and federal assistance. O'Connor urged residents to take flood warnings seriously. Frederick County has also declared a state of emergency.

News4's Chris Gordon spoke with residents in Frederick, Maryland, where inches of heavy rain flooded homes and streets.

In Upper Marlboro,Maryland, a section of Water Street is completely submerged. Running over a river, the area now looks like a lake.

Severe thunderstorms in D.C. and neighboring areas brought heavy rain, lightning, strong winds, hail and flooding to the region Tuesday night.

First responders had to rescue a pickup driver who drove through high water and stalled out Thursday in Fairfax County, Virginia. News4's Mark Segraves reports.

Emergency crews responded to more than a dozen 911 calls for water rescues, the National Weather Service said.

Several streets in Frederick County were flooded with water that reached the top of cars' tires.

On Monday, a series of storms downed power lines, grounded flights and sparked at least two fires. 

Lightning struck two homes about two miles apart in Takoma, causing them to catch fire, Montgomery County Fire said. More than 100 firefighters responded. No one was reported injured. 

A tree branch impaled the windshield of one car as it traveled down Route 7 in Vienna, Virginia, injuring the driver. In Northeast D.C., a large tree fell onto a car, crushing the hood. 

Authorities throughout the D.C. area cautioned residents to avoid downed power lines. 

Up to two inches of rain fell, the National Weather Service said. 

Schools in Spotsylvania County were closed Tuesday due to the weather. In Page County, schools were set to open two hours late. 

Planes were temporarily grounded at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. At Dulles, officials told passengers to stay away from windows. 

Fliers at Dulles International Airport were told to take shelter as severe storms passed through the area. News4's Shomari Stone reports.
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