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On This Day In 1942: Potomac River Flood
October 13, 2020 at 10:12 AM EDT
By WeatherBug's Christopher Smith
On this day in 1942, ongoing heavy rains caused the Potomac River to swell outside of its banks, causing one of the worst flooding disasters in Virginia state history.
Heavy rains began on October 12, 1942, as remnants from a landfalling tropical depression in the Carolinas moved toward northern Virgina before stalling. The system then sat over the area for four days, until October 16, dumping rounds of heavy rainfall.
Before all was set and done, up to a foot of rain fell from the Fredericksburg to Warrenton, Va., area. Front Royal, Va., and the high elevations along Skyline Drive saw even greater rain amounts as high as 19 inches.
The heavy rainfall caused massive runoff into the area tributaries, including the Potomac River. Most areas along the Potomac saw increasing river levels for days before a peak on October 16. In Leesburg, Va., the river crested in major flood stage with a crest of 22.90 feet and a raging flow of 35,600 cubic feet per second. Alexandria and Arlington, Va., also reported major flooding.
Major damage was found across northern Virgina as a result of the flooding. Albermarle, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Warren counties were hit hardest, with flooding leaving over 1,300 people homeless. Severe damage was found to infrastructure and crops such as peanuts, soybeans, and hay. Total damages along the Potomac River were estimated to be $4.5 million and one person died as a result of the flooding.
October of 1942 was one of the worst flooding disasters for northern Virginia. Hopefully the rest of this October will bring nothing of the sort and will bring tranquil autumn weather instead.
Sources: weather.gov
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Story Image: Flooding near the Jefferson Memorial during the October 1942 flood. (NOAA Photo Library)
Heavy rains began on October 12, 1942, as remnants from a landfalling tropical depression in the Carolinas moved toward northern Virgina before stalling. The system then sat over the area for four days, until October 16, dumping rounds of heavy rainfall.
Before all was set and done, up to a foot of rain fell from the Fredericksburg to Warrenton, Va., area. Front Royal, Va., and the high elevations along Skyline Drive saw even greater rain amounts as high as 19 inches.
The heavy rainfall caused massive runoff into the area tributaries, including the Potomac River. Most areas along the Potomac saw increasing river levels for days before a peak on October 16. In Leesburg, Va., the river crested in major flood stage with a crest of 22.90 feet and a raging flow of 35,600 cubic feet per second. Alexandria and Arlington, Va., also reported major flooding.
Major damage was found across northern Virgina as a result of the flooding. Albermarle, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Warren counties were hit hardest, with flooding leaving over 1,300 people homeless. Severe damage was found to infrastructure and crops such as peanuts, soybeans, and hay. Total damages along the Potomac River were estimated to be $4.5 million and one person died as a result of the flooding.
October of 1942 was one of the worst flooding disasters for northern Virginia. Hopefully the rest of this October will bring nothing of the sort and will bring tranquil autumn weather instead.
Sources: weather.gov
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Story Image: Flooding near the Jefferson Memorial during the October 1942 flood. (NOAA Photo Library)