WASHINGTON -- A fast-moving, aggressive thunderstorm system known as Aderecho barreled through the nation's capital Friday evening causing wind damage and extensive power outages throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
Electricity was knocked out to more than 1 million customers who face the prospect of several days without power in a middle of a heat wave, according to WRC-TV/NBC4.
According to the National Weather Service, one person was killed in Springfield,Va., when a tree fell on a car. A second person was killed in Springfield when a tree hit a house, according to WRC-TV.
The NWS placed much of Virginia, the District of Columbia and portions of Maryland under a severe thunderstorm watch on Friday evening. As the storm pushed from Ohio and through West Virginia and into Maryland and Virginia, numerous severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for impacted counties.
The storm cleared the D.C. region by 11:30 p.m. as it headed east across Chesapeake Bay to Maryland's Eastern Shore.
According to the National Oceanographic and atmospheric Administration, a derecho "is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to that of tornadoes, the damage typically is directed in one direction along a relatively straight swath."
WRC-TV reported during its 11 p.m. newscast that winds upwards of 70 mph were reported in different parts of the D.C. area. The television station reported that the storm knocked out power to more than 1 million customers across the region.
A Pepco representative told WRC-TV that in terms of power restoration, the storm may be "multi-day" event. High temperatures on Saturday are expected to rise to about 100 degrees.
Seventeen Metro stations experienced isolated power outages and third-rail electricity was knocked out on the Red Line between the Shady Grove and Grosvernor-Strathmore stations in Maryland's Montgomery County. The transit agency reported some trees down on parts of the Orange Line in Virginia's Fairfax County and the Blue Line in Maryland's Prince George's County. Bus service was experiencing major delays as well.
Edited By Cen Fox Post Team
