Hurricane Florence: Washington Area Prepares for a Rainbath

An anti-flood dyke built to protect parts of downtown Washington could be deployed for the first time while the region is likely to experience heavy rains due to Hurricane Florence.

National Park Service spokesman Mike Litterst said the agency is monitoring forecasts and gauges to determine if the conditions warrant the deployment of the dike on 17th Street NW, just south of Constitution Avenue. . It would be the first time that officials would use the dike.

The Category 4 storm quickly escalated Monday with winds blowing at 130 mph. The National Hurricane Center said Florence should strengthen at 150 mph before landing somewhere on the southeast coast or Atlantic coast Thursday night.

Forecasters have said the hurricane could slow down or hover over the mid-Atlantic later this week, which could lead to heavy rains and wind that could cut down trees. The governors of Virginia and Maryland declared the state of emergency.

[What will Hurricane Florence mean for the Washington area?]

Florence's rain would arrive when the soil is already saturated in the Washington area. Flood warnings were issued Monday for much of the Potomac River upstream of the district, and parts of the Chesapeake Channel and Ohio were closed due to high tide after weekend storms .

Hains Point, in East Potomac Park, was inaccessible due to flooding. The park service released a social media photo on Monday showing egrets, herons and mallards standing on poles while the tidal stream aisles and Jefferson Memorial were underwater.

Elsewhere in the mall, the authorities conducted four races to set up the city's new dike.

The dike is partly made up of two concrete and stone walls on either side of 17th Street. In case of flood, a barrier of poles and metal panels would be installed with a crane to span the street and connect the two walls.

"We checked everything. . . and everything is ready to go, "said Litterst.

The post and signs are stored at a Brentwood District Park Service maintenance facility in the District and will be routed to the site. The dike system, completed in 2014, is designed to prevent floodwater from flowing north on 17th Street from the tidal basin.

[Mall flood levee project nears initial testing phase after three year delay]

The dyke was constructed after the Federal Emergency Management Agency determined that a flood could flood a downtown Washington crescent on 17th Street and Constitution Avenue east of Capitol Hill. and south to Fort McNair. The National Meteorological Service, the Parks Department and the Army Corps of Engineers continue to consult each other as to whether they will be deployed.

In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan on Monday signed a decree executing a state of emergency for what he called potential floods "historic, catastrophic and potentially life threatening". He said at a press conference that officials should know more in the next two days about Florence and its possible effects.

"There is still some uncertainty about the trajectory of Hurricane Florence," Hogan said, "but our state is taking every precaution and I urge all Marylanders to do the same."

Russell J. Strickland, executive director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, said the decree put the national guard and state agencies on alert. He said the state is particularly concerned about low-lying areas, including Ellicott City and Frederick, which experienced flooding earlier this year.

In Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam (D) on Saturday declared the state of emergency, saying he wanted resources to prepare for the storm. The Navy on Monday ordered Norfolk warships to avoid the storm.

According to a spokeswoman for Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), Washington City officials Monday discussed preparations for the storm.

According to the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang, prediction models suggest that more than one foot of rain could fall on the high elevations of the Carolinas and Virginia, causing dangerous downstream flooding. The heaviest rains could start on Friday or Saturday and continue the following week.

Parts of the region experienced floods Monday after heavy rains on weekends.

Several highways in the Frederick, MD area have been closed. The Monocacy River Bridge, located along Highway 355 near Frederick, had record levels of approach to the water, leaving residents worried about the impact of the Florence rain.

[‘It was relentless’: Surge of rainwater floods streets, submerges cars in Maryland]

In the lower part of the old city of Alexandria, sandbags were distributed to businesses and residents.

Raytevia Evans, a spokeswoman for the Alexandria Fire Department, said officials met with members of several city agencies before the rain of Florence. She said security officials were guarding the rescue teams and developing plans to use schools and recreation facilities as flood shelters.

Crews were looking at the weather forecast, Evans said, adding that the city "is absolutely waiting for us to get a lot of rain."

"We make sure people have a plan now," she said. "We are informing people of the opportunity to communicate with their families, their employees and to prepare their businesses and homes for potential impact."

Ovetta Wiggins, Laura Vozzella and Fenit Nirappil contributed to this report.