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Capital Weather Gang

Wednesday evening downpours swamp waterlogged Washington, D.C.

By
July 9, 2015 at 11:07 a.m. EDT
Doppler estimated rainfall totals on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 in Washington, D.C. area (NWS)

Should the D.C. in Washington, D.C. now stand for Deluge City or Downpour City?

Waves of rain that tracked through the region Wednesday evening dumped another 0.5-3 inches of rain in the District and points south. The torrents led to pockets of flooding while adding to the historic rainfall tallies since the start of June.

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[Why in the world does rain keep dumping on Washington, D.C., and Baltimore?]

Reagan National Airport, D.C’s official observing station, picked up 1.12 inches of rain, bringing its July total to 3.34 inches, more than three times the norm (0.99 inches).

Since June 1, Reagan National has logged a remarkable 15.28 inches of rain – which is almost 50 percent more than it receives in an entire summer on average (10.44 inches). This has been the second wettest June 1-July 8 period on record (since 1871), only behind the 16.55 inches of 2006.

For some perspective, consider Los Angeles International Airport has received just 14.51 inches of rain since the start of 2013, or over the last 30 months. Reagan National has that beat in the last 38 days. If only we could ship some over there…

Dulles received 1.6 inches Wednesday and now has observed 3.04 inches of rain in July, more than 2 inches above normal. It has picked up 9.04 inches since the start of June, the third most rain in that time span in records dating back to 1963.

Some of the heaviest rain fell just south of Reston, Va. Capital Weather Gang reader Rick Vaughan said he received 3.73 inches in two hours (2.24 inches between 4 and 5 p.m. and 1.18 inches between 5 and 6 p.m) in Oak Hill. Other reports in the vicinity of Oakton, Reston, Herndon and Vienna came in with 2.5-3 inch totals.

Link: List of rainfall totals from National Weather Service

There was a sharp cutoff in the rain north of downtown Washington. The White House weather station only recorded 0.36 inches and BWI Airport, which has received 14.78 inches of rain since June 1, only checked in with a trace.

More rain and storms are possible late this afternoon and evening. Additional information on that forthcoming…

Pictures and video of rain and flooding from Wednesday evening…

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