WASHINGTON — Severe weather in the DMV area left thousands without power in Northern Virginia on Saturday evening. By 7 p.m., Dominion Energy reported over 7,000 outages in Loudoun County, more than 6,000 in Fauquier County, and 3,700 in Fairfax County.
Additionally, 400 customers in Alexandria were without electricity. The National Weather Service in Sterling, Virginia, issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Northern Virginia, D.C., and central Maryland.
The warning included the possibility of destructive wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, which could bring down trees or large branches. A flood watch was in place for much of the area until 10 p.m., with a severe thunderstorm watch set to expire at 9 p.m.
The WUSA9 Weather Team advised residents to keep devices charged and have a plan to seek shelter during storms. They also cautioned against driving on flooded roads, as just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, 12 inches can float a car or small SUV, and 18 inches can carry away most vehicles.