On Friday, the DMV received a rare “destructive” severe thunderstorm warning. As the storm progressed, trees and electrical lines fell, killing at least two people in Virginia, according to officials.
Trees fall onto cars in Virginia
Fairfax County officials said a complaint came in at 5:42 p.m. about a tree on a vehicle between Frye Road and Pole Road in Woodlawn. Following the incident, authorities pronounced one adult female dead.
At this time, no additional details about the victim are available.
Another individual was died when a tree fell on their car on the George Washington Memorial Parkway near Morningside Lane and Mount Vernon Circle, according to the United States Park Police. The victim’s identity in that incident has yet to be determined.
There are road closures in the region, so cars must follow police directives.
Damage in D.C.
A FOX 5 viewer sent photographs of a big tree fallen on 13th Street Southeast, between South Carolina Avenue and Kentucky Avenue.
The viewer reported that the sudden storm uprooted the tree at 6 p.m., causing it to fall on the hood of a car.
Extreme winds whip through Maryland
The damaging severe storm categorization differs from other thunderstorms. The National Weather Service issued a new type of warning.
It is not tornadic, but it is a severe thunderstorm warning with straight-line winds of up to 80 mph, which can cause significant damage, including the downing of trees and power lines, according to FOX 5 meteorologist Kaitlin Roth.
Torrential rain and frequent lightning are features of these storms, but the wind within the storm prompted the issuance of the warnings.
Sections of Montgomery County received a warning until 5:45 p.m. It lasts until 6 p.m. in the north, which includes parts of Baltimore and Carroll County.
Both have the ability to generate straight-line winds that can reach 80 mph at times.
Data suggest winds gusting up to 67 mph swept over Gaithersburg and Olney.
Stay safe, take cover
If you are in the path of this storm or are anywhere inside the severe thunderstorm warning, which includes I-95 and extends into Howard County, you should seek shelter.
