Severe DC weather forces early shutdown, triggers traffic and travel chaos.

Federal Employees​ Ordered to Leave Office Early ​Amid Severe Storm Warnings

The federal Office of Personnel ‍Management‍ (OPM) has issued ‍an order for federal employees to leave their offices early on Monday due to severe storm warnings​ in the Washington, D.C., area. The storms, which brought ‌a tornado watch until 9 p.m., have prompted many establishments in the Beltway area to close early or adjust their operating hours.

“Employees should depart ‌2 hours earlier than their normal departure time and may request Unscheduled Leave to depart prior to their ⁢staggered​ departure time. All employees Must Depart ​no⁣ later than 3:00 at ‍which time Federal offices are Closed,” OPM said.

Severe Storms Pose Widespread Threat

The National Weather Service has ‌issued warnings for “dangerous storms with widespread very strong winds, large hail, and a‌ few tornadoes.” This is the first time in about a decade that ‍the‌ weather service has assigned a Level 4 out of 5 risk for severe storms.

As commuters ⁢headed home early, they encountered treacherous conditions on the roads‍ due to the torrential rain.

“The roads​ are not visible ⁢here in Loudoun County. Cars are pulling over and I’m sitting in an underpass. There’s debris and branches​ on the road. This is not⁤ safe, guys,” one woman shared on social media.

She added, “It’s heading towards the stadium.”

Concerns arose among fans of the singer P!nk, who ⁣were‍ gathered outside ‌Nationals Park, as the clouds⁢ and rain‌ moved in over⁢ the venue. Many took to social media to speculate whether⁤ the concert would be canceled.

Despite the severe weather, Nationals Park announced that the concert would go on “rain or shine.”

First lady​ Jill Biden’s planned education initiative event at the White House was canceled due to the weather.

The storms also wreaked havoc on air ⁤travel, affecting flights at Reagan National Airport, Washington ⁢Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. More than 1,200 ​flights were ⁤canceled, and at least 10 airports were grounded due ⁢to the storms.

“Absolute nightmare trying to ⁢fly out from the East Coast,” Fox meteorologist Steve Bender said.

By 5 p.m., the storm had created​ a stunning formation in the sky over the nation’s capital, with an ominous “shelf cloud” ⁣looming over the Washington‍ Monument.

The powerful ⁢winds accompanying the storm caused power outages, leaving over 46,000 customers without power in northern Virginia⁤ by 6 p.m. In⁤ Maryland and Washington, D.C., over‌ 2,000 Pepco clients‌ were also‌ affected.

By ‍6:45 p.m., the storm had moved over ⁢to the⁢ Annapolis ​and Baltimore⁤ region. ⁢In Hagerstown, Maryland, large hail was reported ‌during the afternoon.

CLICK HERE TO READ​ MORE FROM ‍THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases