Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 40, NWS Baltimore/Washington

August 16, 20214 counties in Virginia; Prince George's County, Maryland

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this flash flood warning at Aug 16, 2021, 5:24 PM EDT for 4 counties in Virginia; Prince George's County, Maryland. It was in force for 2 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 16, 2021, 5:24 PM EDT (21:24 UTC)
Expired
Aug 16, 2021, 7:28 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

Counties Prince George's County, MD, Arlington County, VA, City of Alexandria, VA, City of Falls Church, VA, Fairfax County, VA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 39 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:27 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 16, 7:00 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 Nne The Woodrow Wilso, VAWATER ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 2-3 FEET DEEP ON KING STREET.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 31 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2021-08-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 161 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2021-08-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 39 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
161 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-12 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
623 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
39 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

840 
WGUS51 KLWX 162124
FFWLWX
DCC001-MDC033-VAC013-059-510-610-170015-
/O.NEW.KLWX.FF.W.0040.210816T2124Z-210817T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
524 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central District of Columbia...
  West Central Prince Georges County in central Maryland...
  Arlington County in northern Virginia...
  Southeastern Fairfax County in northern Virginia...
  The City of Alexandria in northern Virginia...
  The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia...

* Until 815 PM EDT.

* At 524 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain moving into the warned area. Rainfall amounts between 1 
  to 3 inches are expected within an hour. Flash flooding is ongoing 
  or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms
           producing flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Arlington...                       Alexandria...
  Annandale...                       Springfield...
  Fort Washington...                 Fort Hunt...
  Groveton...                        Falls Church...
  Huntington...                      Mantua...
  Fort Belvoir...                    Pimmit Hills...
  National Harbor...                 Crystal City...
  Reagan National Airport...         Rosslyn...
  Nationals Park...                  Burke...
  Lincolnia...                       Lorton...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 3869 7717 3871 7722 3876 7726 3884 7727
      3890 7720 3892 7716 3893 7710 3892 7703
      3890 7699 3887 7698 3880 7698 3875 7699
      3871 7701 3871 7702 3870 7703 3868 7711

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL...1-3 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

BJL
2 follow-up statements
392 
WGUS71 KLWX 162209
FFSLWX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
609 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

DCC001-VAC013-610-162219-
/O.CAN.KLWX.FF.W.0040.000000T0000Z-210817T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
District of Columbia DC-Arlington VA-City of Falls Church VA-
609 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR ARLINGTON COUNTY AND THE 
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH...

Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat. 

LAT...LON 3871 7718 3877 7726 3881 7726 3882 7725
      3880 7709 3883 7705 3883 7703 3881 7702
      3881 7701 3882 7700 3882 7699 3880 7698
      3875 7699 3871 7701 3871 7702 3870 7703
      3869 7708 3869 7709 3868 7711 3869 7717

$$

MDC033-VAC059-510-170015-
/O.CON.KLWX.FF.W.0040.000000T0000Z-210817T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Prince Georges MD-Fairfax VA-City of Alexandria VA-
609 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EDT THIS 
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN PRINCE GEORGES AND SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX 
COUNTIES AND THE SOUTHERN CITY OF ALEXANDRIA...

At 609 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated between 1 and 2 inches of 
rain have fallen. The heaviest rain is ending, but additional runoff 
will lead to flash flooding in low-lying areas.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
         flash flooding.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
         urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Alexandria...                      Annandale...
Springfield...                     Fort Washington...
Fort Hunt...                       Groveton...
Huntington...                      Fort Belvoir...
National Harbor...                 Burke...
Lincolnia...                       Lorton...
Franconia...                       Oxon Hill...
Hybla Valley...                    Newington...
Friendly...                        I395 and I495 Interchange...
West Springfield...                Mount Vernon...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 3871 7718 3877 7726 3881 7726 3882 7725
      3880 7709 3883 7705 3883 7703 3881 7702
      3881 7701 3882 7700 3882 7699 3880 7698
      3875 7699 3871 7701 3871 7702 3870 7703
      3869 7708 3869 7709 3868 7711 3869 7717

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

BJL
349 
WGUS71 KLWX 162328
FFSLWX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
728 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

MDC033-VAC059-510-162338-
/O.CAN.KLWX.FF.W.0040.000000T0000Z-210817T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Prince Georges MD-Fairfax VA-City of Alexandria VA-
728 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHWESTERN PRINCE GEORGES 
AND SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTIES AND THE SOUTHERN CITY OF 
ALEXANDRIA...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a 
threat.

LAT...LON 3871 7718 3877 7726 3881 7726 3882 7725
      3880 7709 3883 7705 3883 7703 3881 7702
      3881 7701 3882 7700 3882 7699 3880 7698
      3875 7699 3871 7701 3871 7702 3870 7703
      3869 7708 3869 7709 3868 7711 3869 7717

$$

BJL

The office that day

Everything else NWS Baltimore/Washington issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 4:40 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXSpotsylvania, Stafford, City of Fredericksburg107 min
Aug 16, 7:26 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXRockingham, Shenandoah, City of Harrisonburg3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Virginia, 2021Flash Flood Warnings in Maryland, 2021Flash Flood Warnings in District of Columbia, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.