The aftereffects of Tropical Storm Debby swept the Washington region Friday, leaving power outages and flash floods in her wake.
In the morning, the National Weather Service reported heavy rain and wind gusting up to 30 mph throughout the District of Columbia, central Maryland and northern Virginia.
The federal agency ordered a coastal flood warning for areas along the Potomac basin until 8 p.m., as forecasters said the storm would leave an additional half-inch of rain in the region before dissipating by midafternoon. Other flood warnings were in effect until 2 p.m.
“If you don’t have to go anywhere, it’s best to wait until the rainfall, visibility and wind conditions improve,” said Kevin Witt, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
According to the agency, there were no confirmed deaths from the storm.
The NWS said radar picked up debris likely caused by a tornado that touched down Thursday night in Stafford County, Virginia, pending further investigation.
Debby made landfall Monday on Florida’s Gulf Coast. By Friday, the storm was weakening and moving northeast through Pennsylvania as a subtropical storm.
The NWS confirmed that wind and rain from the storm caused power outages as fast-rising rivers and streams formed from Frederick County, Maryland, down through Alexandria, Virginia.
The agency also confirmed the outbreak of coastal flooding near the Potomac River Basin and was tracking the extent and location of damages.
Mr. Witt said dry air and lower humidity would sweep through the area by Sunday as remnants of Debby disappear by late afternoon Friday.
However, he cautioned that flood watches could remain in effect for some areas longer.
Heavy rain and wind from the storm downed trees and caused several cancellations Friday. In Maryland, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair closed and the fair in Gaithersburg said it will reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Potomac Electric Power Co. reported 47 power outages affecting 2,223 customers Friday morning. Dominion Energy reported no outages in northern Virginia.
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.