KEY POINTS:
• Fox Weather reported that between 3 and 5 inches of rain fell rapidly over the region • WTOP reported that Montgomery County fire crews conducted water rescues in Silver Spring and Takoma Park • Patch reported that between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., Montgomery County Emergency Communication Center handled about 100 calls for service
A rare Flash Flood Emergency struck the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area on Saturday evening, with Silver Spring, Maryland bearing the brunt of torrential rainfall that prompted dozens of water rescues and overwhelmed local waterways.
According to Fox Weather, the National Weather Service issued a series of flood alerts and described the situation as a “particularly dangerous” event for communities including Bethesda, Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring and Wheaton in Maryland. Fox Weather reported that between 3 and 5 inches of rain fell rapidly over the region, with an additional 1-4 inches possible as storms continued to train over the same areas.
The intensity of the flooding became apparent as water levels rose with remarkable speed. Fox Weather reported that a river gauge along a nearby creek recorded a dramatic 10-foot rise in water levels in just 30 minutes. ABC News reported that the National Weather Service called it a “particularly dangerous situation” and said flash flooding was already occurring.
Widespread Emergency Response
The flooding triggered an extraordinary emergency response across Montgomery County. According to Patch, Pete Piringer, the public information officer for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services, said that between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. the Montgomery County Emergency Communication Center handled about 100 calls for service, “including dozens of water rescues in which (firefighters) assisted multiple people from vehicles, from Potomac through Kensington, Silver Spring & over to Takoma Park.”
Fox Weather cited Piringer as stating, “We had a heck of a storm roll through Montgomery County, particularly the down-county area just north of the District of Columbia.”
WTOP reported that Montgomery County fire crews conducted a water rescue in Takoma Park, where they found a vehicle stuck in floodwaters with the driver on top of the vehicle. WTOP reported that the driver was safely brought to higher ground.
Dramatic Rescues on East-West Highway
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred at East-West Highway and Washington Avenue in Silver Spring. According to WTOP, their reporter Dave Dildine witnessed two women who were briefly trapped in a car that was floating in high water at the intersection. WTOP quoted the driver as telling Dildine, “It was very scary. It looked like it wasn’t that deep and then when you turned the corner you was in about five feet of water.”
WTOP reported that the car began slowly spinning around the flooded intersection, with the driver saying “and then the water started turning the car.” According to WTOP, one of the women was pulled from the vehicle by a bystander while the other was assisted onto higher ground by Montgomery County Fire Rescue Services.
WTOP identified Pierce Tewksbury as having driven through the torrent of water just minutes earlier. WTOP quoted Tewksbury as saying, “If I had waited another two or three minutes, my car would have been stuck like theirs.” According to WTOP, Tewksbury and his brother Stewart ran into the waist-high water to assist the occupants.
WTOP quoted Tewksbury as explaining his actions: “We saw people were in need of help and I pulled her out of the vehicle, got her over to dry land and waited for the fire department to come. If [the conditions] had gotten worse in those couple of minutes and that car had drifted away, it goes completely underwater, you just don’t know what could happen. So I saw a situation and I acted. That’s really how I was raised.”
Fire Truck Stranded in Floodwaters
Even emergency responders found themselves in peril. Patch reported that a Montgomery County fire truck from the Chevy Chase Fire Department was stuck in flooding on East-West Highway as crews responded to one of dozens of incidents. According to Patch, the truck was responding to an incident in Silver Spring when it was flooded out at East-West Highway in the area of Sundale Drive.
Patch quoted Piringer as saying in a post on X, “Our crew is okay, & assisted vehicle occupant to higher ground.”
Mass Evacuation at Meadowbrook Local Park
The flooding also stranded residents in buildings surrounded by water. Patch reported that at Meadowbrook Local Park in Chevy Chase, crews were evacuating 20 people who had become stranded in a building there when it became surrounded by floodwater.
Infrastructure Overwhelmed
Fox Weather reported that emergency management officials warned of “significant flash flooding along the Sligo Creek Watershed,” where water levels rose quickly, and several water rescues were reported in Montgomery County. WTOP reported that officials said sewers in the area were backed up and not allowing water to drain.
According to WTOP, Sligo Creek Parkway, along with numerous D.C.-area roads, was closed due to flooding. Patch cited the Montgomery County division of the Park Police as saying the entire length of Sligo Creek Parkway was closed shortly before 7 p.m., and according to Patch, Piringer said there had been at least three water rescues on that road.
Rainfall Totals and Impact
The sheer volume of water overwhelmed the region’s infrastructure. According to Patch, The Washington Post reported Silver Spring received about 5 inches of rain and Great Falls received 5.5 inches, while Greenbelt in Prince George’s County received about 2 inches.
Fox Weather reported that rainfall rates as high as 1-3 inches per hour were detected by radar, creating dangerous conditions in just a matter of minutes. ABC News reported that between 3 to 5 inches of rain had already fallen, but additional rainfall amounts between 1 to 2 inches were possible.
Broader Regional Impact
The flooding extended beyond Montgomery County. According to ABC News, a flood watch was issued for Washington, D.C., until 10 p.m. ET. Fox Weather reported that flooding was also reported in the District of Columbia, with standing water estimated to be at least 2 feet deep along Georgia Avenue on the northwest side of the city.
According to Patch, Montgomery County, along with parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties, was under a flash flood warning until about 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Patch reported that the National Weather Service was warning people to stay off the roads because the flooding threat was so severe, calling it “life-threatening.”
Communication Center Overwhelmed
The scale of the emergency became clear in the volume of emergency calls. Fox Weather quoted Piringer as saying, “For about a two-hour period between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., our communication center handled about 100 calls for service. As you know, in a 24-hour period, we handle about 400 calls for the day. So again, an extremely busy period of time.”
No Fatalities Reported
Despite the severity of the flooding and numerous rescues, Patch reported that as of 10:30 p.m. there had been no reports of fatalities. Fox Weather also reported that in the initial hours of the event, authorities reported no injuries or missing people connected to the flooding, though they continued to urge residents and visitors to be cautious into the evening.
Flash Flooding Dangers Highlighted
The event underscored the deadly nature of flash flooding. According to Fox Weather, flash flooding is one of the deadliest weather-related hazards in the U.S. each year. Fox Weather cited NOAA data showing that an average of 127 people die from flooding annually, with nearly half of those fatalities involving vehicles swept away by moving water.
Fox Weather reported that experts warn it takes only 6 inches of fast-moving water to knock an adult off their feet, while just 12 inches of water can disable a vehicle and carry it away.
Looking Ahead
WTOP reported that Sunday would be warm and muggy but there would be the risk of severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. According to WTOP, a cold front would push through Sunday night, leading to beautiful weather with much lower humidity Monday and Tuesday.
Fox Weather reported that forecasters said additional rainfall could worsen flooding along creeks and streams and urged residents who were out and about simply to “Turn around, don’t drown.”
