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Flash Flood — Arlington, VA

Jan 19, 1996

An unusually intense squall line, feeding on an unseasonably warm moist tropical air mass, dumped an estimated 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain in a two-hour period during the mid and late morning of the 19th, causing widespread flash flooding. The rain fell on oversaturated soil, a result of the previous night's rapid snow melt. During the overnight hours, the remaining water-logged snow pack of 3 to 8 inches was eaten away by strong southeasterly winds which carried low 60s temperatures and near 10

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 5541107). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.

Flood Risk Context for Arlington, VA

This event is one of many recorded floods in Arlington County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.

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