Rain Ending, Coastal Flooding Still Possible After Nor'easter

Well, that could have been worse.

The Washington, D.C. area is drying out after days of rain and wind from a nor'easter that has already proved deadly in other states.

Now, most weather warnings have been dropped, though coastal flooding still is possible.

A coastal flooding warning remains in place for St. Mary's County, Maryland, and low-lying areas of the District of Columbia, such as Georgetown, still are under a coastal flooding watch. Anne Arundel County and Calvert counties in Maryland are under a coastal flooding advisory.

Areas that are prone to flooding saw it again Friday night, including King Street in Alexandria, Virginia, where water pushed over the sidewalk in some places late Friday night. Businesses accustomed to the deluge stacked sandbags in front of doors and said locals can expect business as usual this weekend.

Ocean City, Maryland, had 5 feet of water in low-lying areas at high tide Friday afternoon. But by evening the floodwaters had largely receded.

More widespread flooding didn't materialize, nor did widespread power outages. Even better news: Hurricane Joaquin, which had threatened the East Coast, has turned east and away from land.

But the storm that soaked D.C. remains a danger for the rest of the country. Heavy rain is expected further south, in the Carolinas. 

Ocean City is bracing for high waves, beach erosion and possible flooding after a nor’easter blew through. News4’s Veronica Johnson has a live report.

Parts of North and South Carolina already have gotten up to 11 inches of rain this week. Two people have died during the severe weather; one person died when a tree hit a car in Fayetteville, North Carolina and one person drowned in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Meteorologists say South Carolina could get more rain in three days than it normally gets during the entire fall. "It's going to be a slow-motion disaster," said meteorologist Ryan Maue of Weather Bell Analytics.

Flights up and down the East Coast were delayed or cancelled as some airports had ground stops due to the weather. Driving wasn't much better; driving on I-95 through Virginia on Friday, rain was so heavy at times that drivers couldn't see the car in front. 

News4’s Chris Gordon drove along Interstate 95 in Virginia Friday and found motorists facing rough, wet road conditions. Air travelers also faced challenges.

"We were going to tour D.C. tomorrow, but I don't think we're going to be able to do that now," said Christine Nash, who was traveling to a reunion on Friday.

Multiple weekend events in and around D.C. have been cancelled or postponed. 

Authorities around the region have warned of saturated soil giving way to falling trees, which appears to have played a role in the death near Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The Potomac River rushed over King Street in Old Town Alexandria about 10:30 p.m. Friday. Businesses accustomed to the deluge stacked sandbags in front of doors. News4’s Jackie Bensen reports from the center of the flood.

Stay News4 on-air and online for more on the developing story. Storm Team4 will continue to monitor Hurricane Joaquin's path through the week. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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