Deadly Land Hurricane Strikes Midwest, Mid-Atlantic

[The Stig]

Original story from Accuweather.com (http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/deadly-super-derecho-strikes-m/67383)



Deadly Land Hurricane Strikes Midwest, Mid-Atlantic
Kristina Pydynowski
By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist
Jun 30, 2012; 10:59 AM ET

A land hurricane left a trail of destruction across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic on Friday, cutting power to millions and killing ten people.

More than 450 damaging wind reports were received by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) as the land hurricane took roughly 12 hours to race from northern Indiana to the southern mid-Atlantic coast.

A land hurricane is also known as derecho, a widespread and long-lived wind storm that produces gusts to hurricane strength. The most severe derechos are given the adjective "super."

Winds gusted to 91 mph (equal to that of a category 1 hurricane) at the Fort Wayne International Airport, Ind., Friday afternoon.

As the land hurricane maintained its violent nature, an 81 mph gust was then measured at Tuckerton, on the southern New Jersey coast, early Saturday morning.

Downed trees dominated the damaging wind reports and led to the deaths of 10 people, according to Fox News.

One of the multiple trees that crashed into homes in Springfield, Va., killed a 90-year-old woman as she was sleeping in her bed, according to the Associated Press.

A few hours earlier, a falling tree outside of North Middletown, Ky., (located east-northeast of Lexington) killed a man who was attempting to clear some tree limbs off a road.

Two boys died by a pine tree fell onto a tent at Parvin State Park, N.J.

Damage on Friday was not confined to downed trees. Power poles were also snapped, while some structures sustained damage. At least four semi-trucks were blown over by the winds on I-75 between Findlay and Bluffton, Ohio.

States of emergencies have been declared in Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. With 2.5 million in the dark, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell stated that his state experienced its largest non-hurricane power outage in history.

A trampoline hangs over a power line following Friday's derecho. Photo by Twitter user Tina C. Check out more shocking images of the derecho's damage in this story.

Friday's land hurricane was triggered by a ripple in the jet stream and fueled by the intense heat that caused Washington, D.C., to set a June record high and Columbia, S.C., to break its all-time record on Friday.

Land hurricanes or derechos typically strike the lower Midwest states once every year, according to the SPC. The occurrence of derechos, however, are quite rare across the mid-Atlantic, south of Philadelphia. On average, this region endures a derecho once every four years.

One of the most recent significant land hurricanes to slam the United States occurred on May 8, 2009. This weather phenomena traveled more than a thousand miles in 24 hours from southeastern Kansas to the southern spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

Destruction from the May 2009 derecho totaled millions of dollars with numerous injuries and several deaths reported.

One main difference between the May 2009 land hurricane and Friday's is the number of tornadoes spawned. Forty-five tornadoes were sighted in May 2009, while there was only one unconfirmed report of a tornado on the ground in Newcomerstown, Ohio, Friday afternoon.

Winds in the strongest land hurricanes can top 100 mph. The land hurricane that tore through Wisconsin and Lower Michigan on May 31, 1998, produced a 128 mph wind gust in eastern Wisconsin.

Additional severe thunderstorms will threaten parts of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic later today, but a repeat of Friday's widespread destruction is not expected.

[The Stig]

Original story from Foxnews (http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/06/30/mid-atlantic-storms-knock-out-power-to-nearly-2-million/?test=latestnews)



Three states declare emergency after storms leave 10 dead and millions without power

Read more: Three states declare emergency after storms leave 10 dead and millions without power | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/06/30/mid-atlantic-storms-knock-out-power-to-nearly-2-million/?test=latestnews#ixzz1zIsNzNfg)

WASHINGTON – Three governors declared a state of emergency after powerful storms swept through the eastern United States Friday night, resulting in at least 10 deaths and more than three million without power.

Under the statewide emergency declaration, Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio, can utilize all government resources immediately to help those in need.

Gov. John Kasich cited widespread power losses in Ohio, utility damages and excessive heat that could create crisis conditions for some Ohioans. State emergency officials say 800,000 to 1 million people still had power outages Saturday morning.

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency after more than 500,000 customers in 27 counties were left without electricity. Current estimates have 688,000 people without power in the state. Tomblin's office says the state is running out of fuel and they're fearful that they will run out of gas.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell said the state had its largest non-hurricane power outage in its history. There are 2.5 million without power.

The storm system across the eastern part of the United States caused seven fatalities, including two boys at a New Jersey campsite.

The boys, ages 7 and 2, were in a tent huddled with their family members, when a tree fell early Saturday morning, authorities said.

There were six reported deaths in Virginia, including a 90-year-old woman asleep in bed when a tree slammed into her home, a police spokeswoman said Saturday. Another man was killed by a falling tree while watching the storm from his deck and a woman died after she, too, was hit by a falling tree after she got out of her car to observe a downed tree. Both those deaths occurred in Albermarle County, Va. A fallen tree also killed a man driving in Maryland.

In addition, a park police officer was injured by an uprooted tree in the northern Virginia county, and an 18-year-old man was struck by a power line, Jennings said. He was in stable condition after receiving CPR, she said.

Widespread power outages were reported from Indiana to New Jersey, with the bulk of the service interruptions concentrated on Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas. Earlier Friday, the nation's capital reached 104 degrees -- topping a record of 101 set in 1934.

More than 20 elderly residents at an apartment home in Indianapolis were displaced when the facility lost power due to a downed tree. Most were bused to a Red Cross facility to spend the night, and others who depend on oxygen assistance were given other accommodations, the fire department said.

The storms, sometimes packing 70 mph winds, toppled three tractor trailers on Interstate 75 near Findlay, Ohio.

"Our officers and firefighters are out there with power saws, trying to clear the streets," Jennings said.

At least four utility poles fell on a road in Columbus, Ohio, making it too dangerous for people in four cars to get out, police said. One person was taken to a hospital.

As of 1 a.m. Saturday, Pepco was reporting 406,000 outages in the District of Columbia and Montgomery and Prince George's counties, Md.

"We have more than half our system down," said Pepco spokeswoman Myra Oppel. "This is definitely going to be a multi-day outage."

Amtrak suspended its service from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia due to the storms, at least until mid-morning. Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia reporting some power issues with a computer system that handles airline departure/arrival information.

In the Washington, D.C., area, the Metrorail subway trains were returned to their endpoints due to the storms and related damage, officials said.

"It has had a widespread effect on the region," Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said early Saturday. He said about 17 train stations were operating on backup power due to local power outages, but that he didn't anticipate service being disrupted on Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Read more: Three states declare emergency after storms leave 10 dead and millions without power | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2012/06/30/mid-atlantic-storms-knock-out-power-to-nearly-2-million/?test=latestnews#ixzz1zIsCx2xw)

[The Stig]

Original story from CBS Washington (http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/06/30/eastern-u-s-storms-leave-5-dead-2-million-without-power/)


Deadly Storms Rip Through DC, Leave Millions Without Power
June 30, 2012 10:30 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) – Violent storms swept across the eastern U.S., killing at least 10 people and knocking out power to millions of people on a day that temperatures across the region are expected to reach triple-digits.

The Mid-Atlantic region had already been experiencing 100-degree temperatures before Friday evening’s violent storms. More than 3 million are without power — and without air conditioning — as crews work to clear downed tree limbs and restore electricity.

The storms were blamed for the deaths of six people in Virginia; two in New Jersey; one in Ohio; and another in Maryland. In suburban Washington, residents were told to call non-emergency phone numbers or go to fire and police stations if they needed help because even 911 emergency call centers were without electricity.

Power outages were reported from Indiana to New Jersey, with the bulk of the service interruptions concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic region. Earlier Friday, the nation’s capital reached 104 degrees — topping a record of 101 set in 1934.

On Saturday, temperatures were expected to reach 100 degrees again — and another round of storms also was possible. The National Weather Service warned the heat index could reach 110 degrees.

The heat left people such as the elderly vulnerable. In Charleston, W.Va., firefighters helped several residents of an apartment building, some using wheelchairs or walkers, move to a shelter. Fire Capt. Chris Campbell said the evacuation was voluntary and was the only one since the storm hit. But he expected more.

In addition to the heat, officials say cell phone coverage is spotty. Many residents were asked to conserve water because sewage stations had been without power for a time. And authorities cautioned people to drive carefully because tree limbs littered roads and hundreds of traffic signals were out.

No power also meant no way to charge cellphones and laptops, and no Internet access in many areas.

Matthew Pelow, 39, was supervising a 10-man crew spreading 275-degree asphalt in Washington. They kept bottles of water on hand and were working quickly to finish before the heat got any worse. They also arrived in the cooler early morning hours.

“We got here just as quick as we could,” Pelow said.

Kim Molisee, meanwhile, sat frustrated in her car outside the normally bustling but now darkened All-Star Express convenience store in Reedsville, W.Va., just down the road from her home. Officials said about 500,000 people were without power in that state.

“I’m almost out of gas, and I can’t run around too much trying to find a store that’s open where I can get gas and ice,” she said.

Molisee and her 13- and 15-year-old sons were at the Walmart in Kingwood when the storm hit and the power failed.

“Me and the boys made a run for it to the car,” she said. They made it home safely and suffered no serious damage, “but even after the storm, you could hear the trees falling.”

Molisee will be able to cook on her gas-powered stove and even shower because she has a gas water heater. But staying cool is another matter.

“I think I’m gonna get my boys and go to the river,” she said.

More than 20 elderly residents at an apartment home in Indianapolis were displaced when the facility lost power due to a downed tree. Most were bused to a Red Cross facility to spend the night, and others who depend on oxygen assistance were given other accommodations, the fire department said.

Those who could afford it flocked to hotels to escape their hot, powerless homes. Others planned to spend the day at places like shopping malls in an effort to stay cool.

Jose Amaya, 41, of Germantown, Md., was also without power on Saturday. He said his wife and two daughters planned to the mall to stay cool and he joked that the outage was going to cost him because they would be shopping. His wife, who works for a hotel chain, also planned to get the family a room to stay.

Robert Clements, 28, said he showered by flashlight on Friday night after power went out at his home in Fairfax, Va. The apartment complex where he lives told his fiancé that power wouldn’t be back on for at least two days, and she booked a hotel on Saturday.

Clements’ fiance, 27-year-old Ann Marie Tropiano, said she tried to go to the pool, but it was closed because there was no electricity so the pumps weren’t working. She figured the electricity would eventually come back on, but she awoke to find her thermostat reading 81 degrees and slowly climbing. Closing the blinds and curtains didn’t help.

“It feels like an oven,” she said. “It is hot.”

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

[The Stig]

Original story at accuweather.com (http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/more-strong-storms-for-dc-balt/67376)



More Violent Storms for Charleston, DC, Richmond
By Matt Alto, Meteorologist
Jun 30, 2012; 9:58 AM ET

Following Friday's deadly land hurricane, another round of nasty thunderstorms will threaten parts of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic into this evening.

Friday's land hurricane, a widespread and long-lived violent thunderstorm complex that is also known as a super derecho, left a trail of destruction and power outages from northern Indiana to the southern mid-Atlantic coast.

The death toll currently stands at ten.

Many of the same areas which were affected on Friday will have to endure yet another round of gusty thunderstorms into this evening. While clusters of violent thunderstorms will develop, another far-reaching land hurricane is not expected.

Locations which could be impacted this afternoon include Charleston, W. Va., Baltimore, Md., Washington, D.C., Dover, Del., and Richmond, Va.

The danger also extends back to central Illinois, including the city of Champaign.

Similar to Friday's storms, very damaging winds will be the primary threat. Hail and even an isolated tornado are also possible with the strongest storms.

In most cases, winds will be upwards of 50-60 mph into this evening. The strongest storms will be capable of producing winds in excess of 70 mph.

Winds of this magnitude will easily be capable of bringing down trees and power lines, especially trees weakened during Friday's severe weather. Those with loose outdoor furniture are advised to bring them indoors or properly secure them to the ground.

The blazing heat and humidity ahead of these storms will once again help fuel these powerful storms as they track towards the south and east.

The severe weather threat will end by late tonight, but yet another round of thunderstorms will rattle the Midwest and mid-Atlantic to close out the weekend.

[eagle326]

Backpacker called to warn me and check on me because the storm was headed right for us. It ended up going just south of us giving us a few rain drops and high winds. I pray for those caught in it and hope the fatality rate doesn't soar.
May all our fellow brothers and sisters be well also and if help is needed please let us know no matter if it's you or someone you know.

[helomech]

Hope everyone is okay, I never heard of a land hurricane before.

[bacpacker]

We have friends in Charlotte, NC that's been without power since last night. Cousin up in Va that's out as well. That was just a nasty storm. I've been watching weather systems for 10+ years and have never seen anything like that. I'm glad it wasn't worse than it was.

Eagle, how's the muscles after the pitchfork workout?? :)

[DarkLight]

BP-What part of Charlotte? I'm in SW Charlotte and we had a couple of real quick flickers last night in rapid succession but never lost power.

Is it just localized to their neighborhood?

[bacpacker]

DL I honestly don't know what area they are in. They just moved there a few months ago. I have never been there so I don't even know what quadrant of the city they are in. It may well be just their neighbor hood. The wife just talked to her via Text back around 4-5:00pm, it may be back up by now.

Glad you all came through in good shape.

[eagle326]

We have friends in Charlotte, NC that's been without power since last night. Cousin up in Va that's out as well. That was just a nasty storm. I've been watching weather systems for 10+ years and have never seen anything like that. I'm glad it wasn't worse than it was.

Eagle, how's the muscles after the pitchfork workout?? :)

Actually I feel right good. My legs were a little tired which was fine ; Now I know to give them more exercise. We filled up 2 hay wagons and it was fun. It was good for me and it helped my neighbor out.

Good thing that pitch fork was Left Handed. ;) Never really did any pitch forking and it was nice to see how's it's done properly. Next I'm going to talk Dave into letting me help him stack bails on the wagon when he does his next cutting because I've never done it either and always wanted to. Besides it'll keep me from rusting too fast.

[izzyscout21]

I totally missed all of this. Hope everyone is ok

[eagle326]

OH OH !!
My last 2 post came up 666. Now I better go hide. :eek:

[helomech]

Speaking of that number, look at the MGT gauge in the helicopter I take care of.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/helomech1973/work/556824_2144310223559_1844103257_n.jpg

[The Stig]

Original story from Washington Post Local (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/power-outages-could-last-for-days/2012/07/01/gJQA3JVjFW_story.html?hpid=z1)



Power outages drag on in D.C. region; officials fuming at utility companies

By Patricia Sullivan, Mike DeBonis and Donna St. George,

With much of Montgomery County still without power and ongoing 911 problems continuing across Northern Virginia on Sunday afternoon, local officials vowed to press utilities to restore service more quickly.

“I will not accept the timetable of July the 6th, said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), shortly after Pepco announced some homes would not have their power restored until Friday or even later. “Having our citizens go seven days without utilities in my opinion is not the kind of service we should expect.”

With recovery from Friday night’s storm stretching into the week ahead, school officials in the District, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties announced that the schools would be closed Monday for summer sessions and other events. And Maryland declared liberal leave for all non-essential state employees. But all federal agencies are set to open Monday, though officials said workers could take unscheduled leave or telework.

District government, however, is expected to be open on Monday, officials said. Dozens of city traffic signals remain without power. But Paul Quander, the District’s deputy mayor for public safety and justice, said traffic control officers will be in place at anticipated trouble spots for the Monday morning commute.

At 7 p.m., about 608,000 Washington-area businesses and households — one in three of the region’s electric customers — remained out of service, according to data furnished on utility websites.

The highest level of outages — just shy of 60 percent — was reported for Pepco service to Montgomery County. There, about 184,000 customers remained in the dark.

Across Prince George’s County, about 84,000 Pepco customers and 35,000 Baltimore Gas and Electric customers remained without power — reflecting 37 percent and 44 percent outage rates, respectively. Across Northern Virginia, Dominion Virginia Power reported that about 27 percent of customers had no power, with about 227,000 total affected. And in the District, Pepco reported nearly 66,000 without power — about one in four.

Dominion officials said most customers would have power by Tuesday, though everyone will not have electricity restored until next weekend. BG&E officials also said it would take most of the week to get all the power up running.

Though the number of people affected by power outages was dropping throughout the day, the anger of public officials was palpable.

“Nobody will have their boot further up Pepco’s backside than I will,” said Md. Gov. Martin O’Malley (D).

Pepco regional president Thomas H. Graham declined to be more precise other than to offer a “global” estimate that power would be restored to 90 percent of interrupted customers by Friday night.

Responding to concerns aired by many residents that few power crews have been seen in neighborhood streets, executives said that restoration efforts to date have been focused on restoring the high-voltage lines feeding the substations that in turn send power into neighborhoods.

Graham said crews from Missouri, Oklahoma and New Brunswick, Canada, are en route to assist with restoration efforts, but it could be days before some arrive.

[The Stig]

Original story from WTOP.com
(http://wtop.com/41/2925313/Electricity-slowly-coming-back)

Federal agencies open, challenging commute expected Monday

WASHINGTON - Federal and local government agencies impacted by Friday's fast- moving storm have announced schedules for the work week ahead.

Federal agencies in the D.C. area will be open Monday and employees have the option for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework.

Among the major organizations that have announced closures are Montgomery and Prince George's counties schools and the city of Alexandria.

See all closings and delays in the D.C. area here.

Monday Commute

Washington-area residents and local leaders and preparing for a difficult Monday morning commute due to storm damage.

Montgomery County is expected to be especially difficult for drivers. Officials say there were more than 400 dark traffic signals in the county Sunday afternoon, including major intersections in Rockville, Gaithersburg and Silver Spring.

Charlie Gischlar with the Maryland State Highway Administration says peopled driving to the nation's capital from Maryland need to allow a lot of extra time. He says mass transit is a better option.

More than 100 traffic signals in northern Virginia are without power.

Power to traffic lights is slowly being restored across the region. But come Monday, DDOT expects there won't be a problem. The agency tells WTOP's Mark Segraves by the work-week rush, "99 percent of traffic signals will be back in color."

Motorists are urged to treat each intersection as a four-way stop to stay safe.

Metro, VRE and MARC trains are all running on a regular schedule. There may be delays, however, due to road closures and signal outages.

Metro is warning that if power outages do occur trains will be slowed to preserve power. They are warning commuters to leave earlier than normal.

To help ease the commute, Virginia Department of Transportation is lifting the High Occupancy Vehicle restrictions requirements of two or more passengers on eastbound Interstate 66 inside the Beltway during the morning rush hour Monday.

Regular HOV restrictions are in effect on I-66 outside the Beltway and on Interstate 95/395.

Powerless

It could be a week or more without power for some of the more than 1 million customers in the D.C. area that lost power during Friday night's powerful storms. The three largest power companies in the region say everybody's power won't be back on until next weekend.

The governments of Maryland, Virginia and D.C. have declared a state of emergency. President Barack Obama called the governors of Maryland and Virginia offering federal assistance.

At least 14 people have been killed in the storm, with at least seven of those deaths in the D.C. area.

Sunday has been hot and humid with temperatures getting near 100 degrees. A few showers and thunderstorms may develop during the overnight hours across the mid- Atlantic.

With more hot weather in the forecast, people need to watch for signs of heat-related illnesses, which include heavy sweating, headaches, nausea and exhaustion.

Pepco says 90 percent of their customers will have power back by 11 p.m. Friday. But there will still be customers without power next weekend.

Dominion Virginia Power and BGE both say it'll be until next weekend until power is restored for all of their customers.

"Most folks are going to come on before next weekend, but we'll see some customers into next weekend," says Dominion Power's Ken Barker.

SMECO says most customers will have the power back by Monday, but some customers in Charles County will not have power back until Tuesday.

The utility companies are still assessing the damage, and if it crews will have to shut down additional live lines that were downed by the storm.

A global restoration time is expected sometime Sunday from most of the utility companies.

Pepco says that extra crews are scheduled to arrive Monday from as far away as Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia and Missouri. They're also reaching out to crews in the northeast and Canada.

Graham says crews are working 16 hour shifts, 24 hours a day. He adds that the storm was not predicted several days in advance made it harder to get extra crews ready ahead of the storms.

"This came on us pretty quickly and pretty hard," Graham says.

The company has activated its Crisis Call center as well as call centers at Alabama Power and Tampa Electric, which are providing back-up support on high- volume calls.

BGE has brought in nearly 900 out-of-state crews from as far away as Florida, Mississippi, Michigan, Michigan, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Canada. The utility says restoration efforts are expected to last deep into the week.

They have restored nearly 53 percent of customers since Friday's storm.

Below are the websites and phone numbers for area power companies:

Pepco : 1-877-737-2662
Dominion Power: 1-866-366-4357
BGE: 1-877-778-2222
Potomac Edison: 1-800- 255-3443
NOVEC: 1-888-335- 0500
SMECO: 1-877-747-6326

Power outage numbers as of 7 p.m. Sunday:

Pepco: 306,385
Dominion: 215,061 in Northern Virginia
BGE: 263,568 in D.C. area including Baltimore
Potomac Edison: 19,854 in Maryland
SMECO: 8,761
NOVEC: 5,150
Rappahannock: 16,563

You Can't Hear Me Now

Verizon says Friday night's storms also wreaked havoc on their system -- knocking out landline service for many customers.

"However, due to extensive commercial power outages across the entire region, our crews have had to deal with a number of technical and mechanical challenges, in addition to storm damage such as downed poles and trees on our wires," writes Verizon spokesman Harry Mitchell.

A power issue at a facility in Arlington has also caused many issues, including problems with 911 service in Northern Virginia.

Verizon says their crews are working around the clock to fix the problem.

In addition, many Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile customers say they are having issues with phone service.

AT&T technicians are "mobilized and currently working to resolve the issues," according to a company release.

"Due to damaging storms that have knocked out power across the Midwest and Northeast regions of the country, some AT&T customers in impacted areas in Virginia and Washington D.C. may be experiencing issues with wireless service," the company says.

Cable TV and internet service in the area is also experiencing problems.

State of Emergency

The governor of Maryland called it "a historic storm," and Virginia and D.C. have declared a state of emergency.

"This is the largest non-hurricane power outage in Virginia history," Gov. Bob McDonnell says. "Virginians need to be on guard and to be working together ... and to find out where the shelters are."

"The severity of the storm damage necessitates the declaration of a public emergency to enable District government to respond to emerging issues as expeditiously as possible," said D.C. City Administrator Allen Y. Lew.

At least five people in the D.C. region are dead after being hit by falling trees. One woman was in her car when the tree hit, and another was sleeping in her bed when a tree crashed into her bedroom. A third was killed while sitting in a car in Northwest early Saturday morning when a downed line set his car on fire.

In Prince William County and in parts of Arlington and Fairfax counties, 911 emergency phone systems are out. In Prince William County, residents are asked to call 703-792-6500 in the event of an emergency.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management says there are 911 issues throughout the state. Below are some other numbers to call if you are having an emergency and can't get through on 911.

Fairfax County Police: 703-691-2131
Fairfax County Fire: 703-246-2126
Arlington County Police: 703-558-2222
Arlington County Fire: 703-228-3362
Alexandria Police: 703-746-1870
Alexandria Fire: 703-746-5200
Prince William Police & Fire: 703-792-6500
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office: 703-777-1021
Loudoun County Dept of Fire, Rescue & Emergency Management: 703-777- 0637
Falls Church703-241-5050

Can't Get No Satisfaction

Pepco made headlines in recent years for what some customers say was a sluggish response to power outages caused by extreme snow, heat or storms. Recently it announced it would be seeking a rate increase from their customers.

When asked about the rate increase versus the company's performance, spokesman Anderson said "I don't personally think that the damage to the infrastructure and the ability to repair it quickly and safely is directly related to an acceptability of the rate case."

Only about 25 percent of a Pepco bill is for distribution and infrastructure, he says.

"We can debate and discuss this, but it is hot outside and our customers need power and I'd like to, at least, in this discussion, keep it to restoration (of power)," he says.

Water Restrictions and Alerts

There are water restrictions and alerts in the D.C. area

Falls Church Water has voluntary water restrictions. The utility has also issued a boil water advisory for portions of Tysons Corner, Vienna, Dunn Loring and Merrifield.

Customers are advised not to drink tap water without boiling it first. Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.

There are also requests for voluntary water restrictions in Charles County, Maryland and Vienna, Virginia.

An earlier restriction for WSSC customers in Montgomery and Prince George's counties has been lifted.

There are no restrictions in water usage in D.C., a spokeswoman tells WTOP.

Staying Cool

There are cooling centers opening across the region. Find a list here.

Dry ice is in short supply across the D.C. area, and ice has been flying off the shelves.

Here are some tips about food safety during a prolonged power outage.

Find tips for keeping pets cool in the hot weather here.

Clean Up

Across the area, debris litters streets, making it difficult to navigate because of downed foliage. Many area roads are shut down as crews begin the cleanup process.

Many traffic lights throughout the area are without power. Motorists are urged to treat each intersection as a four-way stop to stay safe.

Derecho

The ferocious storm that blew through the Washington-area Friday night is a weather system known as a derecho. Learn more about it here.

Gas

Many gas stations are without power and are not pumping gas. WTOP will be reading open gas stations on the air, but their status will be fluid and will not be posted here. Some stations that are open will only be taking cash.

Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

[The Stig]

Original story from Yahoo news (http://news.yahoo.com/eastern-u-battles-heat-wave-amid-power-outages-065033909.html)


"Hot and hotter" forecast as heat wave bakes eastern U.S
ReutersReuters – 1 hr 45 mins ago

(Reuters) - Relentless heat was forecast for much of the eastern United States for a fourth straight day on Monday, after violent storms killed at least 15 people and knocked out power to more than 3 million customers.

"Hot and hotter will continue to be the story from the plains to the Atlantic Coast for the next few days," the National Weather Service said.

Emergencies were declared in Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., during the weekend because of damage from storms that unleashed hurricane-force winds across a 500-mile (800-kilometre) stretch of the mid-Atlantic region.

Almost 2.4 million people from Illinois to Virginia were still without power Monday morning, with the biggest concentration of outages in the Washington, D.C. area.

The storms came as sweltering temperatures topped 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) in several southern cities, including Atlanta, where the mercury hit an all-time record of 106 degrees (41 C) on Saturday and reached 105 on Sunday.

Over two-dozen cities across 10 states set or tied all-time record high temperatures on Friday and Saturday, including Columbia, South Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

One of the hardest hit cities was Charlotte, North Carolina, where the mercury reached 104 degrees (40 C) on Sunday.

From St. Louis, Missouri, to Washington, D.C., temperatures were forecast to hit more all-time records on Monday.

Excessive heat warnings and advisories continued on Monday over much of the mid-Mississippi Valley and southern states, and temperatures were forecast to remain well above normal for a large portion of the United States.

Strong to severe thunderstorms were possible across the southern mid-Atlantic region and north-central United States, the National Weather Service said.

"CATASTROPHIC" DAMAGE TO POWER GRIDS

Thunderstorms and high winds battered eastern North Carolina on Sunday afternoon, leading to three more deaths on top of at least 12 caused by deadly storms in several states on Saturday.

In Pitt County near Greenville, a man was killed when his shed fell on him as he tried to put his golf cart inside, said David Glenn of the National Weather Service.

A couple was killed in neighboring Beaufort County when a tree fell on their golf cart, he said.

More than 40 people were reported injured in Beaufort County and numerous homes were damaged in Pitt County, said Christy Wallace, spokeswoman for the Pitt County sheriff.

After power outages that affected some 15,000 customers, Greenville Utilities said Monday morning that all major outages had been repaired.

Powerful storms that brought wind gusts of up to 90 mph on Sunday knocked out power to more than 200,000 Commonwealth Edison customers in northeastern Illinois and about 100,000 remained without power on Monday, the utility said.

Power crews worked on Monday to restore service to homes and businesses, and officials in some areas said the job could take up to a week. Utilities in Ohio, Virginia and Maryland described damage to their power grids as catastrophic.

FirstEnergy utilities had restored service on Sunday to more than 314,000 of the 566,000 customers affected by the storm. The company said it expected to restore power to its Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania customers by Tuesday and Wednesday, but it could be late in the week before power is restored to all its customers in West Virginia.

Pepco, which serves Washington and much of its surrounding suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, reported about 233,000 without power on Monday morning. Baltimore Gas & Electric said about 235,000 customers remained without power, but it had restored electricity to more than 400,000.

Storms killed six people in Virginia and left more than 1 million customers without power. Two people were killed in Maryland, officials said.

A falling tree killed two cousins, aged 2 and 7, in New Jersey and heat was blamed for the deaths of two brothers, ages 3 and 5, in Tennessee who had been playing outside in 105-degree (41 C) heat.

In Ohio, severe storms knocked out power to about 1 million homes and businesses on Friday across two-thirds of the state. Governor John Kasich sought and was granted federal emergency assistance.

(Reporting by Karen Brooks in Austin, Texas, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Paul Thomasch in New York, Susan Guyett in Indianapolis, Tim Ghianni in Nashville, Jane Sutton in Miami and Alistair Bull in Washington; Editing by Eric Beech)


A good reminder that our power-grid is very fragile....

[bacpacker]

Loosing the power grid, even just in a state or regional basis, is one thing I fully expect to happen at various point's in time. I know lots of folks worry about EMP's and such, and while that is a possibility, I believe that grid down issues are more likely from weather, overload, or just purely lack of infrastructure maintenance and updates. Long term outages could be peaked by lack of spare parts. I know from previous training with the county public works departments doesn't store very many spare transformers and other parts that are commonly used. I would bet most areas are the same.

[eagle326]

B.P. ; I think I read somewhere some time back that most of our transformers are made overseas anymore.

[bacpacker]

I don't know that for sure, but if it follows most everything else we use in the states, they probably are. Might be worth checking into.

[The Stig]

Original story from NBC Washington (http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/No-Deaths-Related-to-911-Total-Failure-161104535.html?dr)



No Deaths Related to 911 "Total Failure"
Northern Virginia's 911 services supported by Verizon
By Tisha Thompson

There were no reported deaths as a result of the “total failure” of 911 call centers throughout northern Virginia this weekend.

Residents in the City of Manassas, Manassas Park, Vienna and Fairfax and Prince William counties were told to call alternate phone numbers, send emails or drive to their nearest police or fire station if they had an emergency. Some residents in Fairfax and Prince William counties were able to get through Saturday, and some Manassas residents were able to get through beginning Sunday evening.

Northern Virginia’s 911 services are supported by Verizon. A company spokesman said the company had a “commercial power failure” in its “central office in Arlington where there’s a lot of telecommunications equipment.” The power failure impacted Verizon’s “primary and backup power supply.”

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova sent a note to her constituents Monday calling the failure “unacceptable” and promised “that this will be the focus of a serious discussion among elected leaders throughout the region and the Commonwealth.”

News4 contacted all of the impacted areas to find out if there were any deaths, injuries or other close calls.

Prince William County said there was one woman who tried to call 911 several times to report a cardiac arrest before she finally got through, but a spokesman for the county said the patient survived and there were “no adverse effects” from the delay.

Other areas like Manassas Park and the City of Manassas said they didn’t see any “walk-ins” to local police or fire departments and didn’t have any “close calls.”

Fairfax County also says it didn’t have any close calls but did not have specific numbers on the number of people who physically walked or drove to a fire or police station to get help.

It would appear that "I'll just call 911" isn't a great prep plan after all.

[Sniper-T]

WOW! that's crazy! I'm glad that everyone is ok!

[Stg1swret]

Bracing for another round of strong thunderstorms tonoght and tomorrow night. So far nothing major in my area.

[mitunnelrat]

Wow. Just wow. First I've heard of a land hurricane, and I'm glad everything is ok. I need to check this forum more often it seems.

[Stg1swret]

They are known as Derecho's (der-esho). Looks like I've got tw lines of storms headed my way, first will probably hit about 9Pm or so, the second about 0 dark 30. Going to be a bumpy night.

[Sniper-T]

Updates?

[Stg1swret]

First round went through my area with little damage. Have another round coming this evening. Will most likely just be confined to heavy rain and lightning, as the temps have dropped a bit lessening the intensity of the cells.

[The Stig]

Glad to hear all is well Stg.

We had a storm roll through last night too. It was a thunderstorm but mercy was it a strong one. Probably about 1.5 hours of wind and rain and a good 40 minute of it was HARD rain/wind.

Stay safe out there ants.