Alert archive / Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 45, NWS Baltimore/Washington

August 16, 2021Arlington County, Fairfax County, Virginia; Montgomery County, Maryland

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this flash flood warning at Aug 16, 2021, 11:32 PM EDT for Arlington County, Fairfax County, Virginia; Montgomery County, Maryland. It was in force for 3 hr. 3 reports 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, 11:32 PM EDT (03:32 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 2021, 2:17 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

Counties Montgomery County, MD, Arlington County, VA, Fairfax County, VA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 38 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:35 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 17, 12:17 AM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 W Rivercrest, VAVA-689 CHESTERBROOK ROAD WAS CLOSED AT LITTLE PIMMIT RUN.
Aug 17, 12:21 AM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 N National Zoo, DCBROAD BRANCH ROAD NW CLOSED BOTH WAYS BETWEEN BRANDYWINE STREET NW & BEACH DRIVE NW DUE TO FLASH FLOODING.
Aug 17, 1:45 AM EDTFLASH FLOODColesville, MDRAPID RISE OF NORTHERN BRANCH OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER TO ABOVE MINOR BETWEEN 145-230 AM. MAXIMUM LEVEL REACHED 9.31' (MINOR: 9.00').

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 00:00Z, 3.5 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 00:00Z on 2021-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 376 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 00:00Z on 2021-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 24 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
376 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
504 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
34 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

632 
WGUS51 KLWX 170332
FFWLWX
DCC001-MDC031-VAC013-059-170630-
/O.NEW.KLWX.FF.W.0045.210817T0332Z-210817T0630Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
1132 PM EDT Mon Aug 16 2021

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northwestern District of Columbia...
  Southeastern Montgomery County in central Maryland...
  Northwestern Arlington County in northern Virginia...
  East Central Fairfax County in northern Virginia...

* Until 230 AM EDT.

* At 1132 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of 
  rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are 
  possible in the warned area. 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...                       Bethesda...
  Langley Park...                    Fairland...
  White Oak...                       Takoma Park...
  Colesville...                      Kemp Mill...
  Chevy Chase...                     North Kensington...
  South Kensington...                Forest Glen...
  Hillandale...                      Martin's Additions...
  North Chevy Chase...               Friendship Village...
  Wheaton-Glenmont...                American University...
  Georgetown...                      Ballston...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3892 7717 3900 7710 3906 7707 3909 7703
      3912 7696 3911 7692 3909 7692 3900 7699
      3899 7699 3886 7711 3890 7716

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

$$

BJL
2 follow-up statements
564 
WGUS71 KLWX 170513
FFSLWX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
113 AM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

DCC001-MDC031-VAC013-059-170630-
/O.CON.KLWX.FF.W.0045.000000T0000Z-210817T0630Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
District of Columbia DC-Montgomery MD-Arlington VA-Fairfax VA-
113 AM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 AM EDT EARLY THIS 
MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY, NORTHWESTERN ARLINGTON AND EAST 
CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTIES AND THE NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...

At 113 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy 
rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have 
fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 0.5 inches are possible in 
the warned area. 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...                       Bethesda...
Langley Park...                    Fairland...
White Oak...                       Takoma Park...
Colesville...                      Kemp Mill...
Chevy Chase...                     North Kensington...
South Kensington...                Forest Glen...
Hillandale...                      Martin's Additions...
North Chevy Chase...               Friendship Village...
Wheaton-Glenmont...                American University...
Georgetown...                      Ballston...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

&&

LAT...LON 3892 7717 3900 7710 3906 7707 3909 7703
      3912 7696 3911 7692 3909 7692 3900 7699
      3899 7699 3886 7711 3890 7716

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

$$

BRO
599 
WGUS71 KLWX 170617
FFSLWX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
217 AM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

DCC001-MDC031-VAC013-059-170627-
/O.CAN.KLWX.FF.W.0045.000000T0000Z-210817T0630Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
District of Columbia DC-Montgomery MD-Arlington VA-Fairfax VA-
217 AM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY, NORTHWESTERN 
ARLINGTON AND EAST CENTRAL FAIRFAX COUNTIES AND THE NORTHWESTERN 
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A FLOOD WARNING...

LAT...LON 3892 7717 3900 7710 3906 7707 3909 7703
      3912 7696 3911 7692 3909 7692 3900 7699
      3899 7699 3886 7711 3890 7716

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 8:17 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXAlbemarle, Nelson7 hr
Aug 16, 8:57 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXAlbemarle, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock6 hr
Aug 16, 9:10 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatLWXNelson3 hr
Aug 16, 9:21 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatLWXAlbemarle, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock3 hr
Aug 16, 11:47 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX88 min
Aug 17, 12:09 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXLoudoun4 hr
Aug 17, 1:10 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX50 min
Aug 17, 1:59 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX86 min
Aug 17, 2:17 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXArlington, Fairfax4 hr
Aug 17, 2:20 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX65 min
Aug 17, 8:07 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX83 min
Aug 17, 8:34 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX5 hr
Aug 17, 8:50 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX115 min
Aug 17, 9:31 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX85 min
Aug 17, 1:18 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX33 hr
Aug 17, 1:54 PM EDTFlash Flood WatchLWXAlbemarle, Amherst, Arlington, Augusta, Clarke, Culpeper and 26 more27 hr
Aug 17, 6:10 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX70 min
Aug 17, 2:37 AM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryLWX2 hr
Aug 17, 6:40 PM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryLWX11 hr
Aug 16, 8:47 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatLWXWashington2 hr
Aug 16, 9:04 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatLWXAllegany2 hr
Aug 17, 12:39 AM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryLWXAnne Arundel100 min
Aug 17, 8:54 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchLWXAnne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Harford, City of Baltimore9 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.