Hurricane Ian remnants to impact Bethesda sooner than expected

The worst of Hurricane Ian may have already passed in Florida, but the now-Tropical Storm is expected to make a speedy trip up the East Coast, including a jaunt out to sea and another landfall somewhere in the South. Yesterday, Ian's timetable for arrival in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and North Virginia area began to look like it was slipping from early next week to this weekend. Now, Accuweather is forecasting the first rains of Ian to arrive in the Mid-Atlantic as early as tomorrow. 

Tropical rain showers are now expected all weekend, and showers may continue from Monday into Wednesday. This does not look good for events like Taste of Bethesda this Saturday. Rain associated with Ian will arrive well ahead of the actual storm center, which is expected to pass through Maryland sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning.

Ian has further business south of here first, however. After crawling across mainland Florida, the storm will go back over the Atlantic, and make another landfall tomorrow evening. Accuweather currently predicts Ian's landfall will be somewhere near the border of Georgia and South Carolina Friday night; the National Hurricane Center's prediction is for a landfall in South Carolina. 

The full impact of Ian's second landfall, and the strength of the storm's remnants when it arrives here in the D.C. area, will be determined by how long it drifts over the waters of the Atlantic prior to Friday night's landfall. The National Hurricane Center says the storm could again near hurricane strength as it approaches land.

Ian already has shown plenty of destructive power after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Over 2 million utility customers in Florida are currently without electricity. Accuweather reports that every customer in Hardee County, Florida is in the dark. Part of the Sanibel Causeway collapsed, the only bridge between Sanibel Island and mainland Florida. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this morning that helicopter rescues are being performed on barrier islands by the Coast Guard and Florida National Guard. He said 100 portable cell towers are being set up to restore some level of phone service, and that power line infrastructure in the hardest hit areas would in some cases have to be entirely rebuilt. Pine Island Bridge, like the Sanibel Causeway, is damaged and impassable, he added.

Fox Weather reports that there are believed to be hundreds of fatalities in Lee County, Florida, according to the sheriff there. Accuweather reports one confirmed death in Florida from Hurricane Ian, a 72-year-old man in Deltona. He slipped down a hill behind his home into a flooding drainage ditch while trying to drain his pool as the storm approached his area at 1:00 AM this morning. Fox Weather also reports Ian has caused a 200-year flood event in Orlando. More than a foot of rain has fallen on the city.

DeSantis said his state has all of the supplies it needs for storm victims. "It's much better to donate financially, rather than sending items. We've got a lot of items," he said at a news conference this morning. Those seeking to help storm victims displaced in Florida can have the greatest impact by donating funds at FloridaDisasterFund.org, or text DISASTER to 20222, he said. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis said the fund has already raised $1.6 million in the last 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Ian's current location is 40 miles east of Orlando, the National Hurricane Center reports. Its current maximum sustained winds are at 65 MPH, and it is moving NE at 8 MPH.

Graphic courtesy Accuweather.com

Bethesda snow forecast

How many inches of snow will fall in Bethesda today? The bigger question may be, how much of it will stick to roads and sidewalks. Accuweather is forecasting 3-6" of snow by the time the storm moves out of the area by mid-afternoon.

The bulk of the actual snow is expected to fall between 7:00-11:00 AM. At times there will be rain or a mixture of both. But at no time during the storm will the temperature reach freezing.

A hard freeze will hit around 8:00 PM tonight. By sunrise Monday, we will have plunged to a bone-chilling 18 degrees.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE/FORECAST #WMATA #DC #DMVSNOW #MCPS

The snow is tapering off, but roads remain treacherous. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue reports that there were over 50 auto accidents in the county today so far. Here is a very partial list of restaurants open for dinner tonight in Bethesda.

Montgomery County Public Schools will be closed Friday, March 6. Many parents were angered by the MCPS decision to delay canceling classes today until this morning. Montgomery County Government will be open Friday.

Metrobus will suspend all service at 9:00 PM tonight.

Ride On remains on the S service reduced schedule. Ride On Bus 23 (Friendship Heights to Sibley Hospital) will bypass Brookmont, staying on Macarthur Boulevard to Sangamore Road in Bethesda.

Many flights are cancelled at local airports; call your air carrier before leaving.

Amtrak is operating on a modified service schedule in the Northeast Corridor tonight and Friday.

Our forecast tonight will be severely cold, with temperatures plummeting to 7°F by sunrise. Light winds and cloudy conditions will give way to a sunny but frigid Friday. Expect a high of 26°, and therefore, little melting beyond what the sun can do.

Friday night, we'll plunge to a low of 11°, before finally rising above freezing Saturday afternoon.

Stay tuned here and at @BethesdaRow on Twitter for updates.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE/FORECAST - #DC #WEATHER

A few days before springing forward to Daylight Savings Time, winter is going out kicking and screaming. Yes, another snowstorm is headed our way tonight. We will be experiencing rain throughout the day today with our relatively warmer temperatures (our high will be 46°F this afternoon), but overnight that will switch to snow. By 5 AM Thursday, we'll be at the freezing mark - just in time for rush hour, of course.

Snow will begin to taper off by 5 PM Thursday, and our total accumulation will be in the 3"-7" range, with some forecasters calling for 10" at the higher end of the spectrum. A frigid Friday means we'll be iced in by whatever has fallen until it begins to melt Saturday. If recent storms are a guide, that initial freeze will slow the melting process even once temperatures have gone above freezing this weekend.

Our current temperature is a downright-balmy 39°, and fog will be a problem early this morning. Take an umbrella. Winds are WSW at 4 MPH.

Stay tuned here and on Twitter at @BethesdaRow for updates throughout the storm tonight and tomorrow.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE AND FORECAST #DC #THOR

The DC area will be under a Winter Weather Advisory from noon until 10:00 PM tonight, as snow, sleet and freezing rain associated with Winter Storm Thor are expected to create hazardous road conditions this evening.

Thor is expected to hit at midday. We will be getting up to an inch of snow and sleet, according to the NWS; the Weather Channel is showing slightly higher amounts.

What could be worse for drivers, falling limbs and trees, and power outages, is that we are again facing a coating of ice around a tenth of an inch today.

It is currently a frigid 22°F. The good news is that, beginning around 7:00 PM tonight, we will be rising above freezing, and continue to heat up overnight. That will turn the precipitation into rain.

Prepare to enjoy a rainy but comparatively toasty 47° high on Wednesday.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE, FORECAST - WINTER STORM #SPARTA #DC #WEATHER

Bethesda will be under a Winter Weather Advisory from 7:00 AM this morning until 3:00 AM Monday morning. According to the National Weather Service, snow will begin to fall sometime between 7:00 and 10:00 AM this morning. At some point between noon and 3:00 PM, it will change to sleet, and then freezing rain. All told, the NWS forecasts 1-2" of accumulation of snow and sleet, and a tenth of an inch of ice.

This will make for hazardous driving through tonight on area roads.

The current temperature in Bethesda is 23°F, and we'll hit the low-mid 30s by afternoon, before dropping back to the low 30s tonight. Winds will be South, 10-15 MPH today.

Here are some of the current temperatures around Bethesda:

Woodmont Triangle 25.4°

Chevy Chase 25°

Greenwich Forest 25.2°

Brookdale 24.7°

Nahant Street 26.2°

Falmouth Road (Spring Hill) 26.1°

Fort Sumner 24.5°

Burning Tree 24.4°

Stay tuned here and at @BethesdaRow on Twitter for updates during the storm.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE: WINTER STORM REMUS HITS BETHESDA, FORECAST

Bethesda will get slammed by Winter Storm Remus during this morning's rush hour - not so much in snow accumulation, but in terms of deteriorating road conditions. The National Weather Service is forecasting the heaviest snowfall to drop between 4:00 and 8:00 this morning.

We are under a Winter Weather Advisory until noon, and snowfall is expected to stick and be in the 1-2" range. Winds will be 10-15 MPH, with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 20s.

It is currently just below 30°F in Bethesda - that will drop in the hours ahead, and then rise to a high of 33° by 4:00 PM. Skies will then be partly cloudy tonight and on Friday.

Currently, the federal government will open on a 2-hour delay this morning.

Stay tuned here and at @BethesdaRow on Twitter for updates during the storm.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE, WEATHER FORECAST, BETHESDA METRO STATION CLOSED

Another winter weather event is approaching Bethesda today. Snow is expected to begin falling early this afternoon, and pick up steam between 5:00-7:00 PM, so keep that pizza delivery number handy for dinner tonight. Accumulation could be in the 2-4" range, according to the National Weather Service.

Then things are going to go the opposite of what you'd expect tonight - it will actually get warmer as the night goes on, instead of colder. Snow will change over to freezing rain, and then to rain by around 10:00 PM. By 8:00 AM Sunday, we will be in the mid-30s, with fog. We'll reach a high of around 40° F by 3:00 PM on a cloudy Sunday.

Remember the Bethesda Metro Station is closed this weekend for work on the escalator truss, which cannot be done safely with passengers in the station according to a Metro press release.

Stay tuned here and to @BethesdaRow on Twitter for updates during the storm.

SNOW SQUALL HITS BETHESDA, WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT (PHOTOS)

A snow squall blew through Bethesda during rush hour this evening, but don't expect any more snow tonight.

The current temperature is 27°F, and winds are gusting to 19 MPH. A wind chill advisory is in effect until 10 AM Friday. Wind chills will be zero to 10° below zero tonight, and 5-15° below zero Thursday night. Winds will gust up to 30 MPH tonight and on Thursday, subsiding to 25 MPH gusts Thursday night.

Thursday will be sunny, with increasing cloudiness in the afternoon and a high of 14°.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE: MCPS CLOSED, FED GOVT. CLOSED, FORECAST (PHOTOS) #OCTAVIA #DC

Gov. Larry Hogan mans the Maryland
Emergency Management Agency
Operations Center war room

Winter Storm Octavia is expected to leave Bethesda by 6:00 AM this morning. Don't try to convince the National Weather Service of that, as its Winter Storm Warning is scheduled to remain in effect until noon today.

The good news is that accumulation has not reached the maximum forecast of 8-10" in Bethesda; the bad news is that it is currently 16° F in Bethesda, meaning that what's down isn't going anywhere soon.

"Stay off the roads, if at all possible," Maryland Governor Larry Hogan advised residents at a press conference at the state's emergency management agency last night. Hogan is tackling his first major weather event as governor, putting 2500 state snowplows, spreader and chemical trucks and other State Highway Administration vehicles on Maryland roads at this hour.

Montgomery County Public Schools are closed, as is the federal government.

Metrobus service is suspended at this hour "until further notice." Check their alert page throughout the day for changes in service.

Metro subway is currently expected to operate after 5:00 AM.

Ride On buses will operate on the S "snow" schedule today. Expect delays on all routes.

MARC and MTA Commuter Bus are both impacted by the storm.

MARC Train:
Camden and Brunswick Line, no service.
Penn Line, "S" schedule.  Only trains with an "S" under the train number in the timetable will operate.  Some trains may be cancelled due to a lack of equipment.

Commuter Bus:
Only Bus 201 (Gaithersburg-to-BWI) will operate today.

Forecast:

Expect some sun through the clouds by the late morning. We'll reach a high of 28° around 4:00 PM, and winds will range from 4-7 MPH. Overnight, it will be cloudy with a low of 11° by sunrise on Wednesday. Winds will be light.

Here are some scenes from the beginning of Winter Storm Octavia around Bethesda yesterday afternoon and early evening:

Hometown bank EagleBank on
Fairmont Avenue by 7-Eleven 

The future 7770 Norfolk luxury
apartment tower

Bainbridge Bethesda luxury
apartment tower

Capital Bikeshare station on
Cordell Avenue

MOMO Chicken + Jazz on
Cordell Avenue

Snowplow/spreader truck speeds
toward Washington D.C. on
River Road, past the Westwood
Center II shopping center

Jeep Cherokee on Norfolk Ave.

Chevy Chase Cars on
Wisconsin Avenue

Veterans Park

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE AND FORECAST

Temperatures in Bethesda plunged into the single digits overnight, and you might say the beatings will continue until the weather improves. A snowstorm is fast approaching from the south. Winter Storm Octavia is expected to drop around 5" of snow from tonight through mid-morning on Tuesday. The National Weather Service is calling for a minimum of 4", to a maximum of 8".

We remain under a Wind Chill Advisory until 10:00 AM this morning. Snow is likely to start around 4:00 PM this afternoon, and with temperatures remaining below the freezing mark all day, that snow is going to stick to roads.

Temperatures tonight will be in the teens, which may seem like summer compared to last night's -9° F wind chill in Bethesda. Heavy snow will move in over the night, and temperatures in the teens Tuesday morning means a nightmarish commute. The high Tuesday is expected to only reach 30°.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE: MOCO EMS WORKERS STRUCK BY VEHICLE ON BELTWAY, 3000+ IN POWER OUTAGE

Bethesda and Montgomery County remain under a wind advisory and snow emergency at this hour. High winds will continue until around 2:00 PM this afternoon. A short but significant snowstorm, high wind gusts, and temperatures in the teens created poor road conditions, resulting in multiple accidents and power outages across the county.

2 Montgomery County EMS personnel - one male and one female - were struck by a motorist early this morning, while at the scene of a previous incident on the Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway (I-495) between River Road and the I-270 spur. Both sustained serious injuries, but Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer said both are expected to recover, and remain hospitalized.

In all, there were at least 6 trauma patients from the combination of the two incidents. The Beltway had to be temporarily closed to extricate 3 trapped occupants of one of the vehicles.

Not long afterward, another MCFRS unit, RS742, was struck further around the Beltway near the University Boulevard interchange, according to Piringer. Fortunately, that crew was unhurt in an incident that Piringer said involved a Metrobus and a bus from Bowie State University.

Needless to say, conditions are hazardous out there.

Many Bethesda residents are without power. As of this writing, 286 residents are in the dark in the Hillmead neighborhood between Bradley Boulevard and Greentree Road.

Over 880 are without power in the Georgetown Village neighborhood off Old Georgetown Road, and near the Wildwood and Georgetown Square shopping centers.

A whopping 2,300 are blacked out in the Longwood/Fernwood Road area near the Beltway.

5 customers are in the dark along Massachusetts Avenue a short distance south of Goldsboro Road.

Less than 5 are dark in the Parkside area off Rockville Pike, and the same is the case near Wyaconda Road in Randolph Hills.

So far, Pepco is on scene for many of these, but has not publicly indicated an estimated restoration time for any of the outages - not good news for those without heat.

It is currently 8.5° F in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle. Other temperatures across Bethesda:

8.1° in Fort Sumner

8.6° in Greenwich Forest

7.9° in Brookdale

8.3° in Burning Tree Estates

8.7° on Newbold Drive

And a comparatively toasty 9° in Chevy Chase.

BETHESDA / DC AREA SNOW FORECAST AND WEATHER REPORT

The snow forecast for Bethesda is insignificant today. Expect a mix of rain and snow between early morning and mid-afternoon. Temperatures are forecast to remain above freezing throughout the day. Clouds will give way to clear skies by 8:00 tonight, but temperatures will drop below freezing - expect them to be in the upper twenties overnight.

BETHESDA WEATHER FORECAST

Another beautiful day ahead in Bethesda:  Sunny with highs in the upper 70s.  5 MPH breeze.

Tonight will be Sweater Weather again:  Lows in the lower 50s with a 5 MPH breeze.

SWEATER WEATHER TONIGHT IN BETHESDA - BETHESDA, MD FORECAST

Out of the frying pan and into the igloo.  After a relentlessly hot summer, suddenly tonight you'll have to remember how to put on outerwear.

Yes, the lows tonight will be in the upper 40s(!!).

Hot libations may be in style at the bars around Bethesda this evening.

But first, we'll have fantastic weather today - sunny, with highs in the very comfortable mid-70s.  A nice breeze, but with wind gusts up to 25 MPH.

Then you'll have to call on your sweaters and jackets a bit early this year, when temperatures plunge into the upper 40s later tonight.  5-10 MPH breeze.

BETHESDA, MD WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST, HURRICANE LESLIE UPDATE

BETHESDA WEEKEND FORECAST

Today:  Mostly sunny, with highs in the low 90s.  Very small chance of an isolated afternoon thunderstorm.  5-10 MPH breeze.

Tonight:  Partly cloudy, low of 70.  5-10 MPH breeze.

Saturday:  Mostly cloudy, 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.  Mid 80s, 15-20 MPH breeze.

Saturday night:  Even worse!  Bring an umbrella to the party.  80% chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Mid 50s, 10-15 MPH breeze.

Sunday:  Much better - mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 70s.

Sunday night:  Partly cloudy, lows in the 50s.

Monday:  Most sunny and cooler, highs in the mid 70s.

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

LESLIE UPDATE

Hurricane Leslie remains steady as a Category 1 storm.  Later this morning, a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft will attempt to fly into the hurricane.  Bermuda could experience Tropical Storm conditions by Sunday.  Leslie is expected to slightly strengthen today.

LOCATION:  415 miles SSE of Bermuda

WINDS:  75 MPH

MOVING:  N at 1 MPH

Why rely on a generic, regional forecast, when you can have hyperlocal weather forecasts and news specifically for Bethesda, MD?  That's what Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row and @BethesdaRow on Twitter provide for you 24/7!  Follow along for the Bethesda weather news you want and need to know.

HURRICANE LESLIE UPDATE - BETHESDA WEATHER FORECAST

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

LESLIE UPDATE

Leslie has finally strengthened into a hurricane.  The storm has also slowed to 1 MPH, and the eastern seaboard could still experience swells, rough surf, and powerful rip currents.

LOCATION:  440 miles SSE of Bermuda

WINDS:  75 MPH

MOVING:  N at 1 MPH

BETHESDA  FORECAST

Today:  Mostly cloudy with slight chance of a scattered shower.  Highs in the low 90s, 5 MPH breeze.  Chance of rain 40%.

Tonight:  Partly cloudy, 70, 5 MPH breeze.

Make sure you are following @BethesdaRow on Twitter.

BETHESDA WEATHER FORECAST, WHERE IS TROPICAL STORM LESLIE NOW?

BETHESDA FORECAST

Highs in the mid-80s, cloudy, 5-10 MPH breeze today.  60% chance of showers.  Thunderstorm possible.

Tonight, mostly cloudy, lows in the upper 60s, 5 MPH breeze.  40% chance of showers or isolated thunderstorms.

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

LESLIE UPDATE

Leslie is still a Tropical Storm, and did not strengthen at all yesterday.  The National Weather Service predicts Leslie will become a hurricane by Thursday.  Dangerous surf, swells and riptides remain possible at beaches from Northern Florida, all the way up the Eastern seaboard today and tomorrow.

LOCATION:  490 miles SSE of Bermuda

WINDS:  65 MPH

MOVING:  NNW at 2 MPH

Stay tuned here and on Twitter at @BethesdaRow, for the latest Bethesda emergency weather information.

TROPICAL STORM LESLIE UPDATE - BETHESDA WEATHER FORECAST

Tropical Storm Leslie continues to defy the National Weather service.  It has never become a hurricane, but did gain strength yesterday.  It has slowed to a crawl of 3 MPH.  That certainly provides an opportunity to strengthen, but its current path is not towards any land mass.

However, Bermuda and the eastern U.S. coast could experiences swells, dangerous waves and rip currents over the next 24 hours.

LOCATION:  545 miles SSE of Bermuda

WINDS:  65 MPH

MOVING:  N at 3 MPH

BETHESDA FORECAST

Cloudy with scattered showers.  A chance of thunderstorms this afternoon.  High 84.  5-10 MPH breeze.  Chance of rain 70%.

Tonight, 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Low 70s, with 5-10 MPH breeze.  Chance of fog after midnight.

Are you following @BethesdaRow on Twitter?

WHEN WILL ISAAC REACH THE DC AREA?, TROPICAL STORM LESLIE UPDATE - BETHESDA WEATHER FORECAST

The big question has been, will the remnants of Hurricane Isaac hit Bethesda, and if so, when?

The center of Tropical Depression Isaac is currently over Ohio.  Some outer clouds and precipitation associated with Isaac may reach us later today, but the heavier rains will come Tuesday.  My Bethesda Forecast below will have more specifics of what to expect throughout the day.

One piece of good news, is that the National Hurricane Center has again adjusted the amount of rainfall Isaac is expected to drop on the DC area, from 2" to 1.75" over the next few days.  Assuming no stallouts in the atmosphere, that should reduce the risk of local flooding.

As Isaac moves closer to the Mid-Atlantic tonight, rains will become heavier into tomorrow.

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

LESLIE UPDATE

Leslie has again declined to strengthen into a hurricane.  In fact, its winds have dropped to 60 MPH!  The bad news is that Leslie has slowed almost 50%, which will allow it to strengthen as it enters warmer waters.  However, the National Hurricane Center says it does not expect Leslie to strengthen today or Tuesday.  If you're reading this in the northern Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, Leslie is passing you by, but be alert for swells and rip currents at local beaches.

LOCATION:  610 miles SSE of Bermuda

WINDS:  60 MPH

MOVING:  NNW at 8 MPH

BETHESDA FORECAST

Your umbrella is still your best friend today!  This morning, it will be mostly cloudy, with patchy fog and some showers.  After 11 AM or later, showers and thunderstorms.  There is a 70% chance of rain, with cloudy skies the rest of the time.  High 82, 6-9 MPH breeze.

Tonight, cooler and cloudy, with a 5-7 MPH breeze.  Thunderstorm possible before midnight, and showers possible after midnight.

Make sure to follow @BethesdaRow on Twitter, and stay tuned here for Bethesda weather and hurricane updates.