THURS. RECAP: Floods Close Schools, Sweep Away 12-Year-Old Vienna Boy

UPDATE (10:22 p.m.): Vienna Patch is reporting that a 12-year-old boy died after being swept away in Vienna's Piney Branch Creek. Read the story .

(10:14 p.m.): St. Leo the Great Catholic School will be closed tomorrow. The middle school back-to-school night originally scheduled for Friday will be rescheduled.

(9:58 p.m.): Fairfax City is under a flood warning until 1:45 a.m. All Fairfax County Public Schools and Fairfax City Schools will be closed tomorrow.

(9:25 p.m.): New photos of flooding in a backyard on the 3500 block of Country Hill Drive. Thanks to Nancy Burns for sending them in!

(9:19 p.m.): Flash flood warning is extended to 11:15 p.m. Even though the rain is letting up, NWS still predicts up to half an inch and that, with the additional heavy rainfall from earlier today, can cause additional flooding.

(8:26 p.m.): I-495 now closed at Mixing Bowl. Traffic isn't being allowed in the eastbound lanes. Detour in effect.

(8:24 p.m.): Road closures outside of Fairfax City, courtesy of Fairfax County. Click here to see the full list. 

(8:03 p.m.): Fairfax City firefighters rescued about 20 people from cars stranded in flood waters on Fairfax Boulevard between Eaton Drive and Route 123 earlier today, according to Fire Chief Dave Rohr.

Rescue units are still out and about, responding to weather-related calls.

(7:38 p.m.): Newell got home about 30 minutes ago... to a flooded basement.

(7:28 p.m.): Julie Newell shared her trip home through flooded streets from her work in Merrifield:

"Braddock Road was closed in both directions near the Audrey Moore Rec. Center. I saw the flooding from Wakefield Chapel Road (one of the many cut throughs I had to take). Road was covered in water.  The park at the corner of Wakefield Chapel and Braddock was flooded. Water was gushing in places.  Guinea Road, a major cut through that connects Rt. 236 to Braddock was flooded and closed in both directions near Braeburn Road.  I think Olley Road, after the nursery (another 236 to Braddock cut through) was flooded as well. I was too far back in a very long line of cars to see the flooding - I turned around and cut through on Braeburn Road while I had the chance."

Share your storm story by commenting below or emailing whitney@patch.com.

(7:04 p.m.): Accotink Creek is above flood stage at 14.05 feet near Annandale. It was at 12 feet less than an hour ago.

(7:03 p.m.): Flash flood warning has been extended to 11 p.m.

(6:28 p.m.): Flooding in the last three hours closed main avenues in Fairfax City, trapped at least 20 people in their cars, and shut down traffic all over the western part of Northern Virginia. Even though most of the street flooding has subsided within the city limits, forecasters urge drivers to get off the roads and to higher ground.

The National Weather Service said the storm already dumped two to four inches of rain on the Fairfax area. Now it's time for round two. A second part of the storm threatens to release three to four inches per hour into the evening, increasing the likelihood of more flooding.

Fairfax's flash flood warning is in effect until 9:15 p.m.

(6:22 p.m.): Fairfax City's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting has been moved from tonight to September 15 at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center. 

(6:14 p.m.): All Fairfax County Public Schools after-school activities are canceled. That means Fairfax City schools too. All events hosted on school grounds are also canceled.

(6:12 p.m.): Accotink Creek above flood stage at 12.91 feet near Annandale. It was just above 10 feet two hours ago.

(6:05 p.m.): About 19 Dominion customers without power on the southwestern side of Fairfax City. Click here for a map of all of the outages in Northern Virginia.

(6:01 p.m.): New reader tips. There's a tree down across Clifton Road in Clifton, between Yates Ford and Maple Branch. It's blocking the road completely. 

Also look out heavy traffic on Stringfellow Road off Route 50, including all along Walney and Poplar Tree roads and down to Braddock.

(5:37 p.m.): Flash flood warning extended to 9:15 p.m. National Weather Service warns that another series of rainstorms will likely worsen the situation, dumping another two to three inches on our area. 

"THIS ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL PROLONG AND LIKELY WORSEN THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING OVER THE WARNED AREA. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION!"

OK guys. Get off the roads. (That means you too tubing dude.)

(5:31 p.m.): Westbound Braddock Road is backed up from Rte. 123 all the way to the I-495N exit.

(5:12 p.m.) New photos of Route 123 and a collapsed Shell Station awning in Fairfax Circle. Check out the gallery to the right of the story. Thanks to Amy Marchiando and Gerrie Gray-Benedi for sending them over!

(5:11 p.m.): New photos of flooding in Fairfax. Click through the gallery .

(5:04 p.m.): All roads in Fairfax City open now except Old Pickett. 

(4:55 p.m.): NEW VIDEO. This guy decided to take advantage of flood waters in Fairfax City. Click the thumbnail to see the man's tubing adventure down Fairfax Boulevard.

(4:44 p.m.): Photos coming in of flooding on Route 50. Will post shortly. Remember to email me your flooding tips, photos, videos. Whitney@Patch.com.

(4:41 p.m.): Old Pickett Road closed because of some debris in the street, according to Fairfax City EMAS.

(4:38 p.m.): CUE bus service is up and running again.

(4:32 p.m.): Brace yourselves. Local Patch editors reporting a...

"Very heavy band of rain now along Fairfax Co. Pkwy. south of Reston. Rain heading east into Tysons, Vienna."

It's heading our way.

(4:26 p.m.): Flash flood warning now extended to 7:30 p.m.

(4:22 p.m.): All Fairfax City roads now open except for Fairfax Blvd from Hwy 123 to Draper Drive. Info from Fairfax City EMAS.

(4:20 p.m.): The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood warning for western parts of Fairfax City and Fairfax County to 6:15 p.m. Was 5:30.

(4:17 p.m.): Fairfax City firefighters helped rescue about 20 people from cars stranded in flood waters so far.

(4:14 p.m.) Flood waters have closed Route 50 in front of Fair Oaks Mall, according to Fairfax County. Traffic is being diverted to West Ox, according to WTOP.

(4:12 p.m.): Fairfax City's EMAS system now says Daniel's Run Elementary School students are being released from school. Here you go:

 "Students are now being released from Daniels Run school. Buses are in the process of loading at this time."

(4:04 p.m.): The city released a list of roads closed due to flooding. Stay away from:

• University Drive and Fairfax BLVD
• Fairfax BLVD and Rte 123
• Fairfax BLVD and Oak St
• Fairfax BLVD and Eaton Place
• Fairfax BLVD and Draper Drive
• Pickett Rd and Old Pickett
• Layton Hall Drive and University Drive
• Old Lee Highway and Ridge Rd
• University Drive and Kenmore

(3:55 p.m.): Video added of flooding and traffic on Hunter Mill Road and Dulles Toll Road. Send your photos and videos to whitney@patch.com.

(3:51 p.m.) Classes and administrative offices at George Mason University remain open despite flooded campus roads. GMU asks students to expect traffic and leave early to make their classes. Right now campus roadways are open. Shuttles are back in full service (they closed temporarily when flooding closed off some of the roads).

(3:43 p.m.): Fairfax City Councilman Dan Drummond reports flooding on Roberts Road, Old Lee Highway, Fairfax Circle and parts of Fairfax Boulevard near Fairfax Circle. Follow him on Twitter here.

(3:40 p.m.) Amy Schleede Marchiando reports the awning on the Shell Station at Fairfax Circle has collapsed. Email your storm tips to whitney@patch.com or comment below.

(3:34 p.m.) Added a list of closed local roads. Scroll to the end of the story to see the list. Email whitney@patch.com or comment below if you encounter one not on the list.

(3:24 p.m.) CUE bus service has been suspended due to flooding. 

(3:23 p.m.): Fairfax City just sent out an emergency alert urging drivers to stay off the roads.

"The City is currently experiencing widespread street flooding with many roads impassable. Please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. Updates will follow."

(3:16 p.m.) Accotink Creek is above flood stage at 10.12 feet near Annandale. 

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Stuck between a tropical storm and hurricane, Fairfax City's weather misery continues with its third straight day of rain and flooding. And it's about to get even worse.

The National Weather Service spotted a string of torrential storms along Route 28. They've advised a flash flood warning for western parts of Fairfax County and Fairfax City until 5:30 p.m. These storms threaten to dump one to two inches of rain in the next hour.

Fairfax's flash flood watch remains in effect until late tonight.

So far the storm has dropped one to four inches on the Northern Virginia area today.

The city's feeling Tropical Storm Lee's departure at the same time Hurricane Katia makes its way north off the Carolinas. This combination is expected to keep Fairfax in the dumps until Monday, when thunderstorms finally give way to partly cloudy skies.

In the meantime, stay off the road as much as possible. Periods of heavy rain make for low visibility and slick roads. It's difficult to avoid puddles and slow-moving streams in local roads. Don't cross any flooded roads. It only takes a foot of water to sweep your vehicle off the road and less than that to strand it.

CLOSED

• I-495 NB Right Shoulder at MM 46: Motorists should expect delays on 495 N, there is standing water after the entrance from Chain Bridge Road
• Lawyers Road, beginning at Garrett Road
  
• Tapawingo Road between Lullaby and Park
• Roberts Road near GMU

WEATHER ADVISORYS

The Virginia Department of Transportation has issued flood advisories for the following roads

Check back for more storm coverage. See a flooded road or weather-related incident? Email whitney@patch.com.