STORM CAUSES POWER OUTAGES IN BETHESDA

Cancelling tonight's outdoor movie at Bethesda Row turned out to be the right call. A couple of thunderstorms passed through Bethesda early this evening, and have left several small power outages behind.

Neighborhoods in the dark include one near Bradley Boulevard and Wilson Lane (Pepco estimates restoration by 5:00 AM tomorrow morning), Wildwood Hills near Democracy Boulevard (11:00 AM Wednesday), and Seven Locks Road near Tuckerman Lane (1:00 PM Wednesday).

The largest outage, near Garrett Park, appears to have been restored according to the Pepco outage map.

BETHESDA POWER OUTAGE UPDATE

A storm tonight has knocked out power to about 27 Pepco customers in Bethesda. The outages are primarily in the Luxmanor area, off Old Georgetown Road.

The largest outage is in the vicinity of Roseland Drive, and Pepco currently expects to restore power there by 6:00 AM Monday morning. A handful of customers around Tilden Lane will have to wait longer, until 2:00 PM on Monday, according to Pepco's current estimate.

BETHESDA POWER OUTAGE UPDATE

About 45 Pepco customers are currently without power in Bethesda, a vast improvement over the thousands who were in the dark after yesterday's storm. Today's outages are primarily in the Brookmont area, and in the area around Wilson Lane and Bradley Boulevard. Pepco is forecasting restoration of power to those residents by 12:30 AM.

FAUXRECHO STORM MISSES BETHESDA, BUT CHASES ONE "WIMP" OUT OF TOWN (PHOTOS)

The deadly storm from parts west did some damage in Maryland, but was barely noticed in Bethesda. While the clouds were foreboding, the actual storm zipped past in minutes. Some lost power, but overall damage was minimal.

Some Bethesda business owners closed to get home before the storm. I saw a few early closures around town, but enjoyed the sign on this shop, where the owner brought a sense of humor to a dark afternoon:

HURRICANE LESLIE UPDATE - BETHESDA WEATHER FORECAST

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

LESLIE UPDATE

Leslie has finally strengthened into a hurricane.  The storm has also slowed to 1 MPH, and the eastern seaboard could still experience swells, rough surf, and powerful rip currents.

LOCATION:  440 miles SSE of Bermuda

WINDS:  75 MPH

MOVING:  N at 1 MPH

BETHESDA  FORECAST

Today:  Mostly cloudy with slight chance of a scattered shower.  Highs in the low 90s, 5 MPH breeze.  Chance of rain 40%.

Tonight:  Partly cloudy, 70, 5 MPH breeze.

Make sure you are following @BethesdaRow on Twitter.

WILL BETHESDA HAVE BLUE MOON VIEWING WEATHER FRIDAY? WHEN WILL ISAAC HIT DC AREA? - BETHESDA WEATHER

What is a Blue Moon, and when will you be able to see it here in Bethesda and the DC area?

We'll have a Blue Moon here Friday (August 31).  There are several types of Blue Moons, but in Friday's case, it means this is a rare, second Full Moon within the month.

Blue Moons aren't actually blue (I know, I'm disappointed like you), but they are beautiful.

Fortunately, we'll have great Blue Moon-viewing weather here in Bethesda tomorrow.  It will be sunny all day, with highs in the mid-90s, but a cool 10-15 MPH breeze.

Be watching the Moon at 9:48 AM - yes, AM - when the Full Blue Moon will be at its fullest!

Friday night, it will be mostly clear with lows in the 60s, and winds 5-10 MPH.

Count on Bethesda to find a way to celebrate the Blue Moon:

Blue Moon specials at Freddy's Lobster on Cordell Ave.!

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

ISAAC UPDATE

Isaac is now a weakening Tropical Storm.  It is still headed NW, and every minute it does that is an extra minute of good weather you'll have this weekend.  Although it will disintegrate into a mass of clouds, it will still pack flooding potential by the time it reaches the DC area Sunday or Monday.

TROPICAL STORM ISAAC BULLETIN

LOCATION: OVER LOUISIANA

WINDS:  45 MPH

MOVING:  NW at 8 MPH

Tune your Twitter to @BethesdaRow and stay tuned to the blog this weekend, for urgent Bethesda weather and Isaac updates!

BETHESDA STORM UPDATE: KENWOOD FIREWORKS ASTOUND, POWER OUTAGES ABOUND

There were more lights in the sky over some parts of Bethesda, than there were on the ground below.

Some residents and businesses remained without power last night, including the neighborhood of Kenwood Park (bordered by River Road, Goldsboro Road, Wilson Lane and Bradley Boulevard) and 7-11 on River Road.

Meanwhile, many homes in hard-hit 20817 had their power restored throughout the Independence Day holiday.

While Montgomery County Government inexplicably canceled its official fireworks displays (as did cities with close political ties, like Rockville and Gaithersburg), thanks to the private Kenwood Golf and Country Club, Bethesda residents in-the-know were still able to enjoy a spectacular fireworks show.

A record crowd gathered nearby, and there was no nightmarish trip home on hot, crowded Metro cars, and no pickpockets to deal with!

If Friday's storm proved anything, it's that the demise of the air-conditioned, American indoor shopping mall, and personal automobile, have been prematurely predicted by the usual suspects.

BETHESDA NEIGHBORHOOD TAKES DESPERATE MEASURES TO GET PEPCO'S ATTENTION - EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS!

"PEPCO: R U LOST?"

Residents of powerless Green Acres in Bethesda have had to resort to extreme measures to get Pepco's attention.

The neighborhood posted handmade, poster board signs with messages for utility crews that might pass by on River Road.

Ironically, Pepco trucks did pass by on Sunday, right past the main entrance to the neighborhood!  Unfortunately for Green Acres, they kept on driving.

Green Acres has a right to feel victimized.  Prior to the killer storm, their neighborhood has been one of the hardest hit by the recent burglary-theft crime spree that began May 4.

PEPCO CAM: EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS OF PEPCO CREW STAGING AREA IN BETHESDA

The exclusive Pepco Cam captured Pepco crews organizing operations at a new staging area on River Road, across from Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.

Residents with outages in the 20816, 20817 and Potomac areas are entering their fourth hot night without power.  Hopefully these are the guys who will be getting to those neighborhoods tonight.

At this hour, the River Road commercial strip - gas stations and 7-11 included - remains in darkness, as do nearby neighborhoods.

These vehicles included trucks that have traveled from across the country to assist in Pepco operations following Friday's killer storm.

Crews line up at Pepco's River Road staging area this evening,
including trucks from Florida Power and Light.

Check out that Emergency Response Team sedan with
tinted windows - maybe Agent Mulder is in there.

BETHESDA STORM UPDATE: SOME POWER RESTORED, WSSC LIFTS WATER RESTRICTIONS

Overnight, Pepco crews restored some power in downtown Bethesda, and in parts of the suburbs.

After one of my informants reported a Pepco convoy heading out River Road after 5 PM Sunday, residents of Wood Haven near Wilson Lane had power back around an hour later.  By mid-evening, power was restored to some businesses on St. Elmo Avenue, including Chef Tony's and Jiffy Shoppes.  Jiffy Shoppes will reopen today, and Chef Tony's plans to open at 5:00 PM for dinner until 10:00 PM, if all goes well.

Other neighborhoods remained dark, however.

Finally, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Public Information Officer Scott Graham announced that the WSSC water restrictions have been cancelled overnight.

Stay tuned to @BethesdaRow on Twitter for more storm-related news.

FIRST PEPCO TRUCKS SPOTTED IN BETHESDA AS STORM POWER OUTAGES CONTINUE

HELP MAY BE ON THE WAY

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

I received this photo from a Bethesda resident who passed this long convoy of out-of-state utility trucks heading westbound on River Road after 5:00 PM.  A tree trimming Asplundh truck was in the convoy.

A convoy of utility trucks heads west on River Road
in Bethesda Sunday.

The convoy passes through a dark intersection where
many homes and businesses remain without power tonight.

Driving west on River Road (they are pictured here at River and Willard Avenue/Greenway Drive), they would be passing neighborhoods without power.  Neighborhoods off River Road I checked remained dark as of 10 PM tonight.  Most of the commercial area on River Road between Ridgefield Road and Little Falls Parkway (including Whole Foods and several gas stations) remained dark today.

Has anyone in Bethesda or Potomac along the River Road corridor had their power restored?  The trucks appeared headed in that direction.  Feel free to post a comment below regarding your neighborhood or building power status.

A second sign of Pepco at work was the restoration of power to the traffic signal at Arlington Road-Old Georgetown Road in downtown Bethesda.  With a 5-way intersection, you can imagine what a nightmare that was for police and drivers alike.

Conflicting weather reports say no storms tonight, or storms between 12-3 AM!  Roll the dice, I guess, but take precautions and play it safe.

Stay tuned for updates on Twitter @BethesdaRow and stay cool!

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COOLING CENTERS - BETHESDA STORM UPDATE

For the many without power and AC:

3 cooling centers are open in Montgomery County:

Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville

Clarksburg High School in Clarksburg

White Oak Recreation Center in White Oak

*Bring any prescription medications you need with you*

RIVER ROAD DETOUR

Much traffic, including T2 Metrobuses is being diverted from a stretch of River Road just north of the Ridgefield Road-Little Falls Parkway commercial strip onto parallel Ridgefield Road.  Ridgefield Road is a 2  lane road through a residential neighborhood.  With speed bumps!  Slow going.  Avoid, avoid, avoid!

BETHESDA LIBRARY on Arlington Road is open to the public as a limited hours cooling center.  The county has not specified the hours.

MORE STORMS APPROACHING!

Monitor weather channels and @BethesdaRow on Twitter for the latest!

KILLER STORM ROCKS BETHESDA, MASSIVE POWER OUTAGES TEST PEPCO IMPROVEMENTS

A powerful thunderstorm system blasted Bethesda Friday night, knocking out power throughout town, and leaving a massive mess in its wake.

73% of residents had no power Friday night.  An urgent public health emergency looms today, with temperatures forecast as feeling like 115 degrees, and A/C-deprived Pepco customers being told power will be out for several days.

It is unclear at this hour just what locations in Bethesda do have power, in terms of what sites can be opened as cooling stations today.

Trees are down from Bethesda Row to the Potomac River.  Massive power outages were reported by residents in neighborhoods off of major highways like River Road and Old Georgetown Road.  One resident near Goldsboro Road reported hearing repeated blasts of a truck air horn over an hour-long period during the night.  I have no idea what that could have been, but would assume it was something serious to make that much noise at night.  If anyone knows what that was related to, let me know, and I'll pass that information on.

Pepco is now facing its first real test of its  2-year-long service improvements.  Bethesda residents reported that outage hotlines were down around 11 PM last night.  Today the area will find out if Pepco has the crews from outside DC to respond to one of the biggest outages in history.  If Pepco rises to the challenge, it could greatly improve public opinion of the utility.

Downtown Bethesda outages left late night partiers without post-nightclub eats.  Both Bold Bite and Jiffy Shoppes were forced to close.  Redwood's Bethesda Lane patio was lashed by hurricane force winds.

In fact, an 80 MPH wind shear was recorded in Bethesda at the height of the storm.  The freight train sounds I heard confirm that.  I was sure a tornado would spawn at any moment, but the damage suggests that circular wind patterns did occur.  Leaves carpet streets, and tree companies will be busy for weeks.  The full extent of the damage will be known once the sun rises this morning.

If you have difficulty reaching Pepco, try their Twitter at @PepcoConnect.

Monitor radio for announcements of cooling centers if you have no AC.

Be advised that more storms are expected today and Sunday.

Stay tuned for more details on one of the Top 5 most violent storms to hit Bethesda in the last 50 years.  Follow me on Twitter @BethesdaRow for more breaking weather news.

Stay cool, Bethesda!