Heavy Rains Bring Flooding, Road Closures

The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood warning for Fairfax County in Northern Virginia into the evening.

Meteorologist Heather Sheffield of the National Weather Service said the heavy rains of the past few days are caused by tropical moisture moving from the south.  "It's the remnant of Hurricane Lee," she said.

A flash flood warning means that flooding is imminent or has been reported.  Many road closures have been announced across the region.

Fairfax County sent out this alert at 4:45 p.m: "Because many roads are impassable due to flooding, please stay off the roads if you can. If you have to be on the road, don't forget to turn on your headlights."

The following are only a few of the road closures.  The situation is changing frequently.

CLOSED

• Burke Lake Road between Rt. 123 and the Fairfax County Parkway.
• I-495 NB Right Shoulder at MM 46: Motorists should expect delays on 495 N, there is standing water after the entrance from Chain Bridge Road
• Lawyers Road, beginning at Garrett Road
  
• Tapawingo Road between Lullaby and Park
• Roberts Road near George Mason University
• Route 50 in front of Fair Oaks Mall

Drivers should use extreme caution on wet roadways, and never drive through standing water.  Accoding to the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management, most flood deaths occur in automobiles.

"Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear, and just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road," said an OEM spokesperson.

Also included in the flash flood warning are the District of Columbia; in Virginia, Arlington County, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church, City of Fairfax; and in Maryland, Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, and Charles County.

Sheffield said the rain should continue into the evening hours, diminish overnight, and wind down by Friday morning.