Powerful Storm Brings Down Trees and Power Lines Across D.C.

District of Columbia residents woke up to downed trees and power lines Friday after a storm slammed into the region late Thursday night, bringing harsh rain and sweeping winds.

As of noon Friday, 13,900 people in D.C. were without power, according to Pepco. The National Weather Service recorded wind gusts at up to 64 mph at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport during the storms. District Fire and EMS responded to 518 calls from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Data on reported injuries was not immediately available.

Residents posting on social media likened the storm to a hurricane with its mixture of fast winds, pea-sized hail and near constant lightning. Capital Weather recorded 68 lightning strikes per minute at the peak of the storm.

Across the city, trees lay atop cars and blocked roadways Friday. D.C.’s Department of Transportation has 20 crews out working to clear an estimated 300 trees down in public spaces, many of which are entangled in power lines, said agency director Sharon Kershbaum. The agency is also addressing broken traffic signals, with fewer than 10% of the 1,600 total signals in the District needing repairs.

“For better or for worse, this is not unprecedented,” she said while standing in front of a fallen tree.

The Department of Transportation estimated there are 300 trees down across the city. Martin Austermuhle/NOTUS

Kershbaum said the largest impact of the storm hit Wards 6 and 7, but there are major blockages throughout the District. It will take around 48 hours to clear hazards but some residual debris cleanup will take longer, she said.

Residents can report fallen trees, debris or other road hazards online. D.C. is only responsible for clearing public trees, not private ones. If a tree has fallen onto private property, residents should contact their insurance company.

“I would love to be able to say we can help out, but really we only have limited bandwidth and need to focus on public trees,” Kershbaum said.

Nearby suburbs were also caught in the storm’s path. In Maryland, Pepco reported 22,400 customers without power as of noon Friday. Prince George’s County Public Schools closed Friday as many buildings were without power. In Virginia, Dominion Energy reported 22,800 customers without power. Wind speeds hit a peak of 69 mph in Tysons Corner.

This story has been updated with more details about Thursday night’s storm.