Arlington Declares State Of Emergency After Flooding

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz has signed a Declaration of Local Emergency for Arlington effective 8:30 a.m. on July 8 -- the day that drenching rains pounded the area resulting in widespread flooding. More heavy rains are on the way Thursday, which could exacerbate the problem.

“Following record setting rainfall and flash flooding on Monday, initial damage assessments have clearly shown the impact to residents and businesses in our community,” said Aaron Miller, Director of the Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management (PSCEM), in a county statement. “This emergency declaration is a key step in activating recovery assistance for our community. We continue to work closely with state and regional partners, including the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, on the process of determining our community’s eligibility for disaster assistance.”

The board will vote Saturday to formalize the emergency declaration. The move will allow the county to request reimbursement for storm-related costs through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The county is asking residents affected by the storm to submit a damage report form by Friday.

More rain is headed our way Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Arlington from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m., with up to 2 inches of rainfall in a short period of time. For comparison, Monday's deluge was measured at 3.3 inches within an hour at Reagan National Airport -- a record. Only six other times in history has the airport recorded 2 inches or more within an hour.

A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for areas in green from 2pm through tonight. 2+ inches of rainfall in a short period of time is possible. This could cause flash flooding of streams and other poor drainage urban areas. Remember, turn around, don't drown! pic.twitter.com/UqGQa0Hhla
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) July 11, 2019