Winter storm slammed D.C. with heavy rain and high winds
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Satelite image: NOAA
A powerful winter storm whipped through D.C. Tuesday, shuttering area schools early, delaying or canceling flights, and disrupting commutes.
Why it matters: Record-setting rain and strong winds downed trees and caused some power outages across the region. High wind gusts (80 mph) caused a four-hour shutdown of the Bay Bridge in both directions at the height of rush hour.
Driving the news: The storm brought more than 2.2 inches of rain to Reagan National yesterday — a record for the date, per the Washington Post. Dulles got a record 1.75 inches.
- Washington was under a high wind warning through Tuesday evening, but it was discontinued earlier than expected once the storm swiftly moved through the area, the Post reported. Overall the winds were less forceful than forecasted.
Meanwhile, all three D.C.-area airports felt the impact of the storm, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.
- More than 1,000 flights nationwide were canceled on Tuesday, including 63 at Reagan National Airport.
The big picture: A whopping 196 million people had been under wind advisories, warnings, and watches as one in a fusillade of winter storms sweeps across the U.S. Tuesday.
Context: D.C. is a low-lying city built on land that was once a series of creeks, marshes, and wetlands, a history that leaves it especially prone to flash flooding, particularly as climate change results in more frequent and heavier extreme precipitation events.
- D.C.-area coastlines are also vulnerable to coastal flooding, a threat increasing with sea-level rise.
Plus: Structures in the low-elevation Federal Triangle area are especially at risk, such as Smithsonian museums, government buildings, and National Mall monuments.