UPDATE: Flash Flood Warning Area Expanded

MAP: National Weather Service map issued Saturday at 9:11 p.m. Areas in deep red color are under a Flash Flood Warning.

UPDATE 9:20 p.m.: The National Weather Service has expanded the area of the Flash Flood Warning to include Fairfax County, Arlington County, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church and the District of Columbia.

AT 901 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND ONE INCH HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED ACROSS THE AREA. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY. *

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... ARLINGTON...COLLEGE PARK...GREENBELT...FALLS CHURCH... BLADENSBURG...SPRINGFIELD...GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY...NATIONALS PARK...CLINTON...CORAL HILLS...LARGO...NATIONAL HARBOR...FEDEX FIELD...LANGLEY PARK...FORESTVILLE...CRYSTAL CITY...RFK STADIUM... FORT WASHINGTON...HOWARD UNIVERSITY AND MCLEAN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING.

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UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Fairfax County until 11:45 p.m.

AT 849 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE AREA. UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE ALREADY FALLEN. AN ADDITIONAL INCH IS POSSIBLE. FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... FRANCONIA...NEWINGTON...MASON NECK AND MOUNT VERNON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

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UPDATE 8:45 p.m.: The Severe Thunderstorm Warning for DC, Fairfax County, Alexandria and Arlington has expired.

UPDATE 8:30 p.m.: Tornado Warning until 9 p.m. for southeast Fairfax County near Fort Belvoir, Mount Vernon, Lorton area

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

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UPDATE 8:15 p.m. Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been extended to 8:45 p.m.

BULLETIN - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 810 PM EDT SAT JUN 20 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...

SOUTHEASTERN FAIRFAX COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

ARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA... * UNTIL 845 PM EDT

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UPDATE: The Tornado Warning for Fairfax County has expired.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax County and Loudoun County until 8:18 p.m.

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UPDATE: 7:40 p.m. Fairfax County is under a Tornado Warning until 8 p.m.

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR WEST CENTRAL FAIRFAX...CENTRAL PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTIES...THE NORTHEASTERN CITY OF MANASSAS...THE CITY OF MANASSAS PARK AND THE CITY OF FAIRFAX... AT 739 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CENTREVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... FAIRFAX...VIENNA...CENTREVILLE...MANTUA...ANNANDALE...RESTON... OAKTON...CHANTILLY...WOLF TRAP...BURKE...MANASSAS...MANASSAS PARK... FAIRFAX STATION...CLIFTON AND WEST SPRINGFIELD. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

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UPDATE 7:20 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a new Severe Thunderstorm Warning for:

• DC
• East Central Fairfax County
• Arlington County

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UPDATE 6:12 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Fairfax County, City of Alexandria, southwestern Arlington County, City of Fairfax and City of Falls Church. The Warning is in effect until 7:45 p.m.

The Warning is in effect until 6:45 p.m.

Here’s more, from the NWS Warning:

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... VIENNA...FALLS CHURCH...SPRINGFIELD...MANTUA...GROVETON... ANNANDALE...HUNTINGTON...WOODBRIDGE...FORT BELVOIR...DALE CITY... LAKE BARCROFT...MERRIFIELD...I66 AND I495 INTERCHANGE... FRANCONIA...I395 AND I495 INTERCHANGE...NEWINGTON...LORTON...LAKE RIDGE...BURKE AND HYBLA VALLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION...MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

A severe thunderstorm warning means that a severe thunderstorm is occurring or is imminent based on doppler radar information. You should move indoors to a place of safety.

The term severe refers to hail that is dime size, 0.75 inches in diameter or larger, and/or wind gusts to 58 mph or more. Although lightning can be deadly it is not a criterion for what the National Weather Service defines as severe since any ordinary thunderstorm can produce a lot of lightning. Also, excessive rainfall may lead to flash flooding, but heavy rain is not a criterion for the term severe. Severe strictly refers to hail at least 3/4 of an inch in diameter or wind gusts of at least 58 mph.

If hail golfball size or larger is falling, it indicates that a storm is very well organized and likely has a rotating updraft. Any storm producing giant hail should be watched closely for signs of a possible tornado.

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The National Weather Service has issued two weather alerts for the metro Washington, D.C. area Saturday, due to the remnants of Tropical Depression Bill making their way into the area.

• The region is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch Saturday from 2:20 p.m. until 11 p.m.
• The area is also under a Flash Flood Watch from Saturday at 8 p.m. until Sunday at 8 a.m.

The areas in the Watch zone include the District of Columbia, Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Falls Church, the City of Fairfax, Fairfax County, the City of Leesburg and Loudoun County.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued by the National Weather Service means that the potential exists for the development of thunderstorms which may produce large hail or damaging winds. When a watch is issued, you should go about your normal activities, but keep an eye to the sky and an ear to the National Weather Service’s weather radio or local radio and television stations for further updates and possible warnings.

A Flash Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.