Floods, downed trees close roads in Reston with more rain expected today

Updated at 2 p.m. — Reston Association has closed all of its pools for the remainder of the day “due to “due to the current and continued threat of hazardous weather.”

Updated at 12:10 p.m. — A Tornado Watch has been issued for the D.C. area, including Fairfax County, until 7 p.m.

Updated at 11:30 a.m. — All activities scheduled to take place in Fairfax County Public Schools this afternoon and evening have been canceled due to the anticipated inclement weather.

Updated at 10:25 a.m. — All of the closed roads in Reston have reopened to traffic, except for the Browns Mill, Beach Mill, and Leigh Mill closures listed below, according to a 10:13 a.m. update from the Fairfax County Police Department.

Earlier: Several roads in Reston have been closed after a thunderstorm courtesy of Tropical Depression Ida passed through Fairfax County overnight.

“We are expecting several inches of rain today from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, picking up in intensity in the early afternoon until around midnight,” Fairfax County said in a post on its emergency information blog. “We have already experienced an early morning storm that has led to power outages, swift water rescues and numerous road closures due to downed trees and flooded roads.”

Road closures due to flooding and downed trees have been reported throughout the county, but as of 8:30 a.m., they have been particularly concentrated in the Reston District Station area, according to the Fairfax County Police Department:

Reston District Station

Browns Mill Rd and Pennycress Ln, closed due to down tree

Beach Mill Rd and Clubview Dr, closed due to downed tree

Hunter Mill Rd and Cedar Pond Dr, closed due to flooding

500 bock of River Bend Rd, closed due to flooding

1100 block of Springvale Rd, closed due to flooding

Leigh Mill Rd and Kelso Rd, closed due to flooding

Walker Rd and Murphy Dr, closed due to downed tree

Hunter Mill Rd and Cedar Pond Dr, closed due to flooding

With more rain expected to fall today, the National Weather Service has extended a Flood Warning for northwestern Fairfax County until 11:30 a.m., citing Reston, Herndon, and Great Falls among the areas that could experience flooding.

“At 8:20 a.m. EDT, stream gauge reports indicated water levels continue to rise across the area. Flooding is ongoing,” the NWS said in its alert.

A Flash Flood Watch is also now in effect for much of the D.C. region, including Fairfax County. It is currently set to last through tomorrow (Thursday) morning:

* A round of heavy thunderstorms early this morning may result in localized flash flooding, especially in the Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan Areas. Additional thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are expected across the area this afternoon and evening. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected, with localized amounts up to 6 inches possible.

* This amount of heavy rainfall will not only result in the potential for considerable flash flooding of creeks, small streams, and urban areas, but also the potential for river flooding on the main stem rivers.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is urging people to avoid driving through flooded or closed roadways, noting that stalled and trapped cars put the driver, passengers, and first responders in unnecessary danger.

“By now, many drivers across Fairfax County know which roads traditionally flood,” the department wrote in a blog post. “FCFRD asks that if you need to be on the roadways today that you stay informed and plan alternate routes around flooded roadways. Our firefighters and paramedics do not want to meet you by (a preventable) ‘accident’!”

A lot of rain throughout today. Several flooded roadways already this morning. PLEASE, do NOT attempt to drive, or walk, through flooded roadways! #TurnAroundDontDrown! Stay weather aware throughout the day! Plan alternate routes! #weather #traffic #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/SmZWO7bvoc

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) September 1, 2021