Tropical Storm Debby: DC region braces for intense rain, flooding, tornado threats
WASHINGTON - The Washington, D.C. region is bracing for a period of intense weather as the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby move north toward our area.
FOX 5’s Tucker Barnes says we’ll see periods of heavy downpours, flooding conditions, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes over the next 24 to 36 hours.
"We’ll see on-again-off-again rain through much of the day today, and then the core of what's left of Debby will start to move through later tonight," Barnes said. "The axis of heaviest rain will be just to the west of the D.C. area in the mountainous regions." Barnes says drivers can expect heavy rain and hazardous road conditions for the morning commute Friday.
Flood watches are in effect from tonight through Friday night for portions of north central Maryland, including Frederick, and areas of northern Virginia, including Northern Fauquier and Western Loudoun.
Coastal flood advisories are in place during the same timeframe along the shorelines in Anne Arundel County and in low-lying areas of Charles and King George Counties.
FOX 5's Taylor Grenda says a widespread three to five inches of rainfall is expected across parts of the region. This raises flooding concerns in flood prone areas like Alexandria, Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland that are typically inundated with water when the region sees excessive rainfall in a short amount of time.
Debby’s remnants are expected to move out of the D.C. region by Friday night into Saturday morning. Temperatures will be near 80 degrees on Thursday and Friday. Clear and sunny conditions this weekend with temperatures in the mid-80s both Saturday and Sunday.
Tropical Storm Debby first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The system then stalled and dumped heavy amounts of rain over the coastal regions of Georgia, South Carolina, and parts of North Carolina.
The storm made a second landfall in South Carolina early Thursday morning on its way up the East Coast. At least six people have died due to the storm, five of them in traffic accidents or from fallen trees.