Community Corner

UPDATE: Fairfax County Schools Closed Friday Due to Flooded Roads

Flood Warning continues through 11 p.m. in southern Fairfax County, Alexandria City.

UPDATE (10:15 P.M.)

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge, westbound, is now closed, according to an emergency alert message from the District of Columbia.

Maryland DOT and police are closing the westbound Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Maryland side, according to the alert. This is so that cars on I-495 will not cross over to Virginia and be stuck in the high water on the Virginia side.

Drivers should avoid the entire stretch of the Capital Beltway from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to the Springfield Mixing Bowl. The road is flooded, and there are multiple road closures.

(9:40 P.M.) Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed Friday due to flooded roads, according to the county. School administrative offices will remain open.

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

All Fairfax County public schools will be closed Friday. The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled:

•       extracurricular activities
•       interscholastic contests
•       team practices
•       field trips
•       middle school after-school programs
•       professional learning and training courses
•       all adult and community education classes
•       recreation programs

School Age Child Care (SACC) centers are closed.

Offices are open with an unscheduled leave policy in effect.

Emergency personnel are to report to work.

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Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

George Washington Parkway south of Alexandria is reportedly closed.

Access to the eastbound Capital Beltway (I-495 Outer Loop) is now blocked at the Mixing Bowl in Springfield, due to high standing water. Cars that attempt to get on the Outer Loop coming from I-95 or I-395 will be blocked at the Mixing Bowl and forced to reroute. Cars that are already on the Outer Loop coming from Tyson's Corner will also be rerouted.

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UPDATE (8:15 P.M.) The Beltway I-495 is closing in both directions over Cameron Run due to high water, according to Fairfax County.

Kingstowne Patch provided the video (at right) of Cameron Run cresting at Eisenhower Avenue. Water is covering sidewalks in the area. Police have blocked Eisenhower Avenue and other roads in the region due to flooding. 

The flash flood warning continues until at least 11 p.m. and southern Fairfax County has received between 10 and 15 inches of rain the past five days.

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UPDATE (8 P.M.) The Capital Beltway (I-495) is closed due  due to high standing water, in both directions between Telegraph Road and Eisenhower Avenue, according to an alert from the City of Alexandria sent out at 7:38 p.m. today.

In addition, Fairfax County released a list of roads closed (as of 7:45 p.m.).  This includes the Beltway at the Mixing Bowl, locations along Eisenhower Avenue and Telegraph Road and multiple other locations. The full list is here.

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UPDATE (7:10 P.M.): Fairfax County officials have asked residents of the Fenwick neighborhood in Huntington to evacuate, .

The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood warning for Fairfax County until 11 p.m.  Fort Belvoir has reportedly received 5 inches of rain since 5 p.m. An additional one to two inches of rain is expected tonight.

Fairfax County officials are reporting that I-495 is closed in both directions over Cameron Run due to high water.

UPDATE (4:35 p.m.): Fairfax County is warning drivers to stay off the roads this afternoon if possible due to flooding caused by downpours. The county advises if you do go on the roads, remember to turn on your headlights when driving.

Tonight, the National Weather Service is calling for showers and possibly a thunderstorm. The chance of precipitation is 80 percent with new rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible. 

Tomorrow (Friday), there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, according to the NWS. New rainfall amounts are expected to be between a tenth and quarter-of-an inch; more rain is possible if there are thunderstorms. 

Residents in the Huntington, Belle View/New Alexandria areas of the county, as well as residents across the county who live in areas prone to flooding, should be prepared to take action should flooding develop Fairfax County warned Thursday. 

Residents in such areas may want to take certain precautionary actions, such as moving vehicles to higher ground and moving items out of basements, the county said. 

The National Weather Service also has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory until 8 p.m. A Coastal Flood Advisory indicates that onshore winds and tides will combine to generate flooding of low areas along the shore. NWS also forecast a tidal anomaly of 1-2 feet above astronomical predictions. This means possible minor tidal inundation along the tidal Potomac River tonight and likely again Friday morning. High tide tonight in Alexandria is at 6:22 p.m. 

County public works, emergency management and public safety personnel are monitoring the weather and will continue to do so through the evening and overnight and will alert residents should any additional information become available or actions necessary.

In the City of Alexandria, the Dora Kelly Trail east from Chambliss to Beauregard and Morgan was closed this afternoon due to flooding. Many roads in the county are flooded and impassable.

In the City of Alexandria, the Holmes Run Trail from Beauregard east to Holmes Run Parkway (under Van Dorn and I-395) is closed due to flooding.

Currently, the City of Alexandria is under a Flash Flood Warning until 6:15 p.m, as heavy rain continues to fall. Residents are urged not to underestimate the power of flood waters.  Avoid water covered walkways and roads; only a few inches of rapidly flowing water can quickly carry away a vehicle.

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The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning this afternoon for eastern Fairfax County. Rainfall up to one inch per hour is likely in this weather band, and rain may continue for more than an hour. This will promote flash flooding.

Fairfax County warns that most flood deaths occur in automobiles. Never drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road. When encountering flooded roads make the smart choice...turn around...don’t drown.


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