Storms bring another flash flood threat to DC area days after wild deluge

With the first wave of slow-moving storms, bearing heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds entering the Beltway around 3:30 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for the area.

“Increasing coverage of thunderstorms will produce heavy rain well ahead of a cold front through this evening. These thunderstorms will likely produce rainfall rates of 2″/hr or more in an exceptionally moist environment. As storms move slowly this afternoon, they will produce heavy rain on top of saturated soils, and low-permeability urban areas. Flash flooding is likely,” the National Weather Service said in an afternoon discussion.

(Screenshot via the National Weather Service)

Flash flooding is most likely across the urban corridor from Washington to Philadelphia.

On Monday, 3.3 inches of rain fell in a single hour during the morning commute, making for the heaviest one-hour total since 1936 in Washington.

The city was paralyzed by the torrential downpour. Morning commuters were stalled by washed out roads, limited visibility, and flooded Metro stations across the District, Northern Virginia, and Western Maryland. Many were stranded on street corners and subway stations as their phones erupted with emergency warnings of flash flooding.