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.
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