Fairfax County Under Wind Advisory, Flood Watch Thursday

Fairfax County and surrounding areas will be under a Flood Watch and a Wind Advisory on Thursday, as heavy rain and strong winds rake across the region.

About 1-2 inches of rain is expected to fall starting tonight through midday Thursday, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas and along streams and creeks.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT… * FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON * RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND 1 INCH ARE EXPECTED, WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE. * EXCESS RUNOFF FROM A NEARLY FROZEN GROUND AND SATURATED SOILS WILL CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE OUT OF THEIR BANKS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL FLOODING IN LOW LYING URBAN AREAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. &&

In addition to the rain, damaging winds are possible.

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON EST THURSDAY… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON EST THURSDAY. * TIMING…THURSDAY MORNING. * WINDS…SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. * IMPACTS…GUSTY WINDS WILL BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS. TREE LIMBS COULD BE BLOWN DOWN AND A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. &&

More via Twitter:

Both flood watch and wind advisory in effect for DMV Thursday morning. Over an inch of rain possible, and wind gusts to 40 to 50 mph as strong cold front sweeps through. More info: https://t.co/zDJoNCDXkq pic.twitter.com/ZTVbjaHKoj

— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 23, 2019

Wind Advisory (brown) for the DC/Baltimore Metro areas & S MD from 6 AM-Noon tomorrow. Wind Advisories/High Wind Warnings along the Blue Ridge/Allegheny Front are currently in effect and go through 6 AM Thursday. 50+ MPH gusts, scattered tree damage and power outages possible. pic.twitter.com/vjMWH7SM9R

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 23, 2019

Photo (top) via National Weather Service