Living in LoCo



Live Storm Updates

LoudounExtra.com staff at 9:52 a.m., September 6, 2008 (Updated at 6:25 p.m., September 6, 2008) (5 comments)

All day Erica Garman, along with our Living in LoCo correspondents -- Val Cavalheri, Marie Bertozzi, Dave Nemetz and Charity Corkey -- will be sending updates on the weather situation throughout Loudoun County.

Rain has stopped in Leesburg.

-- Jonathan Mummolo, 6:05 p.m.

Updated road closings from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office:

  • Pleasant Valley Road has water in the roadway.
  • Cedar Green Road between Old Ox Road and Pacific Road in Sterling, VA is closed due to high water.
  • Edwards Ferry Road at Battlefield Parkway is closed in Leesburg due to high water.
  • Lawson Road in Leesburg is also closed.
  • Thomas Avenue near Sugarland Run Road in Sterling is closed due to flooding.
  • Gant Lane near Cochran Mill Road is closed due to high water.
  • Thomas Avenue near Lakeland Drive- bridge is flooded.
  • Shreve Mill Road west of Sycolin Road- bridge is flooded.
  • Evergreen Mills Road near Arcola Road is restricted due to high water.
  • The 22980 block of Sam Fred Road is closed due to wires down in the roadway.
  • Holmes Mill Road at Harmony Church Road is closed due to a downed tree.
  • Sycolin Road at Goose Creek is restricted due to a tree across the portion of the roadway.
  • Arcola Road at Old Ox Road in Sterling has a tree blocking the entire road.
  • Route 7 near Belmont Ridge Road has a tree blocking one lane.
  • Belmont Ridge Road just prior to Belmont Road has a tree down and took utility lines down.
  • Belmont Ridge Road at Belmont Road is closed due to a tree and utility line down
  • Hamilton Station Road at Lookout Lane closed due to tree in roadway.
  • North Fillmore Avenue at Lincoln Avenue has a tree partially blocking roadway.

There are several traffic lights out along Route 7 in the Sterling area. The intersections include Route 7 and Potomac View Road and Route 7 and Sterling Boulevard. Please remember that an intersection where the traffic signals are off due to power failure must be treated as a four-way stop.

Many secondary roadways remain impassable and the Loudoun Sheriff’s reminds motorists that if you find yourself driving in potential flash flood conditions, never drive through standing water on a roadway.

-- From the Editors, 5:27 p.m.

The skies (and my basement) appear to be clearing up. I'm still seeing some wind gusts, but everything seems to be getting back to normal.

--Val Cavalheri, 4:35 p.m.

Rain has stopped in Lansdowne. The sun is struggling to peek through!

-- Dave Nemetz, 4:31 p.m.

Skies are starting to brighten up north of the Potomac River, but the rain continues at a steady rate.

-- Dave Nemetz, 4:11 p.m.

Storm seems as if it’s slowing down in Ashburn. Rain is tapering off and there is little wind.

--Erica Garman, 4:01 p.m.

Safety tips courtesy of the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs:

  • Do not drive into flooded areas.
  • Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
  • It is important to remember to keep your headlights on when driving in rain.

If a flood is likely in your area, you should:

  • Listen to the radio or television for information.
  • Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.
  • Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas known to flood suddenly. Flash floods can occur in these areas with or without such typical warnings as rain clouds or heavy rain.

-- From the Editors, 3:27 p.m.

The pond is running over the dam, but no flooding on the course yet. But these pictures may be better. This is where the golf cart path runs under Elk Lick RD on the way from the 10th over to the 11th and the 16th back to the 17th. If you look at img_1777, that’s the path in the bottom right corner. You can see it better on 1778.


A tree down in South Riding. (Photo by Val Cavalheri)

Lots of hydroplaning out there. The South Riding golf course is taking quite a beating. Lots of pooled water everywhere. Some dead trees are down and some streets are covered in debris.

My sump pump has stopped working and I now have a totally flooded basement.

--Val Cavalheri, 2:34 p.m.







A storm culvert behind some homes in Lansdowne near Selden's Landing Elementary School. (Photo by Dave Nemetz)

Roads beginning to become water-covered:

  • Riverside Parkway, from Belmont Ridge Road west to River Creek Parkway
  • River Creek Parkway, from Riverside Parkway north to Edwards Ferry Road
  • Edwards Ferry Road from River Creek to Red Rock Overlook Park

--Dave Nemetz, 2:28 p.m.






A small river of water forms in a yard in South Riding. (Photo by Val Cavalheri)

Wind is becoming quite a factor here. Combined with the heavy rain coming down horizontally, it's becoming quite interesting. Like Erica, I am watching a very tall dead tree in our neighbor's house, hoping that it survives the storm. Lots of leaves blowing around in the streets.

Have had several reports of minor flooding in basements and some streets becoming impassible. Some of the yards are also flooding.

--Val Cavalheri, 1:52 p.m.

Wind’s picking up in the 20148 zip code, too. I really hope that dead walnut tree in our backyard doesn’t fall on the house.

--Erica Garman, 1:29 p.m.

Correction about the wind - it's picked up all of a sudden here, starting to get some heavy gusts.

--Dave Nemetz, 1:07 p.m.

The rain has been coming down in buckets in the Lansdowne area since about 9:30 a.m., but no wind concerns. I have noticed that water is starting to pool in the lower lying areas, but nothing to be alarmed about just yet. Power has not gone out at all.

--Dave Nemetz, 1:00 p.m.

Just went out onto Ryan Road in Leesburg and the water level is getting high. The roads are beginning to have standing water, even the Greenway.

Winds are really beginning to blow and the rain is coming down in torrents.

--Marie Bertozzi, 12:05 p.m.


South Riding begins to experience flooding. (Photo by Val Cavalheri)

South Riding is beginning to experience some substantial flooding in isolated areas as the rain intensifies.

--Val Cavalheri, 11:12 a.m.

Power back in Broadlands.

--Erica Garman, 11:00 a.m.

Heavy rain, No wind. Power just went out in Broadlands.

--Erica Garman, 10:14 a.m.

The rain is coming down moderately here at Cavallo Farm in Leesburg. The skies have gotten progressively darker since about 8:30 this morning.

Last night to get ready for the storm, we left in all of the horses (they usually go out at night) and brought in all chairs, tables and items that could be easily, or not so easily, blown around.

We also shored up our water supply as we are on a well, and if we loose electricity we will not have a way to give the horses water. In addition, we turned off the electricity last night in case of a surge, as barn fires are a farm owners nightmare.

Right now our paddocks are beginning to become saturated with water. We have needed the rain, but this will cause a lot of runoff.

--Marie Bertozzi, 9:38 a.m.

It's been raining steadily for the past half-hour in Ashburn. There is very little wind however, and we have not lost power.

--Charity Corkey, 9:32 a.m.


A rain-soaked road in South Riding this morning. (Photo by Val Cavalheri).

South Riding woke up to what so far is a much needed rainstorm with no winds.

Hanna did postpone the Business Expo and Community Yard Sale, but apparently not everyone heard about the postponement. I watched cars come by and circle the event area.

Despite tomorrow's scheduled Triathlon, as I rode through the neighborhood, I didn't see many joggers or bikers practicing as the roads do appear a bit slick.

--Val Cavalheri, 9:26 a.m.


No significant issues to report in Lansdowne. Looks like your garden-variety rain overnight.

--Dave Nemetz, 7:30 a.m.

Have your own tip on flooding or road closings that we missed? Have a photo you'd like to share? Then let us know by sending an email to loudounextra@wpni.com.

Comments:

Note: LoudounExtra.com does not necessarily agree with comments posted below — responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone. Peruse our reader agreement and privacy policy

Out here in Western Loudoun (hey, WaPo, we exist too!), It's raining heavily at 12:50 p.m.

But I just took the kids over to a friend's house, and the roads were fine with a few pockets of big puddles. Nothing more. This thing is moving fast and will be over soon.

The power went off for about five minutes, then back on -- followed by the sound of sirens from the direction of Route 287. Someone probably hit a pole.

Posted by glastonbury27 (anonymous) on September 6, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Val, if you have access to four wheel drive, I wonder what it looks like where Elk Lick Run crosses Bull Run Post Office Rd?

It is downhill from South Riding, so it should be impressive.

I'm tempted, but it might not be the safest thing to do today, and I don't relish backing all the way out to Braddock with the brush scraping on both sides.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on September 6, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you like to walk on the bike path that runs behind the softball field at Windmill Park, you may want to wait. It was a raging river a little while ago....

Posted by hphokie (anonymous) on September 6, 2008 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I see that portable generators are sold out at several stores in the area. If you do need to use them, please do use them with extreme caution. Follow the instructions (yes, actually read them). Do not place them in your garage (and especially not in the house!) even if you think it is ventilated. My family did this in Louisiana and my mother went to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning. She's ok now, but there are many who are not so lucky.

Posted by eshebert (anonymous) on September 6, 2008 at 8:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

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