The National Weather Service has issued flooding and tornado watch advisories for the Washington metropolitan area for Friday, May 27. 

The tornado watch projects high winds and potentially damaging wind gusts along the I-95 corridor until 2 p.m. Gusts could blow down trees and power lines and could result in widespread power outages. Hazardous driving conditions are also possible during the afternoon commute.  

Excessive rainfall beginning at 11 a.m. is expected to yield 1-3 inches of accumulation. Flooding of rivers, creeks and streams in low-lying areas could cause flash flooding on roadways and impassable conditions through 11 p.m. tonight. 

We remind community members to be safe and to exercise caution while traveling around campus and surrounding areas during this weather event. Please stay clear of construction areas and temporary fences and watch out for flying debris and avoid trees with loose branches and unsecured structures and equipment. Do not drive in areas with flooding warnings, as standing water can overwhelm vehicles in a short period of time.

Researchers should complete or properly save any experiments planned for work tomorrow. As local power outages are also possible, employees should save any unsaved documentation. You are also asked to power down or unplug any sensitive or key equipment or any other devices that may be impacted by a surge in power. 

We will continue to monitor the forecasts and provide necessary updates on any operational or schedule changes. Please remain safe. 

For more information or to submit a campus safety concern, please contact the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at 202-806-1100. 

 

Excellence in Truth and Service,

Department of Public Safety