Hailstorm hits Bethesda, causes power outages, trees to fall

A hailstorm that hit Bethesda around 5:20 PM this afternoon has knocked out power in several neighborhoods, and knocked down some trees. Several residents have reported trees down in the Westgate, Glen Cove, Crestview and Brookdale subdivisions.

One tree was reported down on Rodman Road near Jamestown Road in the Westgate area of Bethesda; others closer to Western Avenue. A transformer fire was reported a few blocks away from there on Crescent Street by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Pete Piringer. About 30 customers are without power there and in nearby Brookdale, according to Pepco.

The Western Avenue corridor and neighborhoods near the Potomac River appear to have been the hardest hit. Less than 5 customers are currently without power in Cabin John, and several hundred are in the dark between Bradley Boulevard and Democracy Boulevard.