Hurricane Irene Begins to Impact Area

HURRICANE IRENE IMPACTS DC AREA

Main impacts to be heavy rain and gusty winds

The effects of Hurricane Irene are beginning to be felt in southern and eastern portions of the area. In fact, southern Maryland is already experiencing moderate to at times heavy rainfall. This will continue to overspread the area. One of the big questions is how far west the shield of rain makes it. The best guess at this point is that the worst impacts will be east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even then, impacts should be moderate over most of the area. More significant effects may be felt in lower Maryland in areas such as St. Mary's County. They are under a Hurricane Warning. Gusts to 75mph are possible along the water in spots. 

Winds should top out around 50mph (gusts) in DC proper. However, these gusts may still be enough to knock down trees and power lines given the heavy rainfall that is also expected. There is also a Flood Watch in effect for the potential of up to 4 inches of rain in parts of the area (locally higher amounts are also possible). 

The worst conditions will be felt from late this afternoon into tonight. It is possible that Sunday late morning and afternoon may begin to clear out significantly across the area. The exception may be in extreme northeastern parts of the area. Stay tuned for the latest details and updates. Currently, the 9:00am update is broadcasting on our Livestream channel. You may view that video above.