Stormageddon Shuts Down Northern VA

Friday evening, a huge swirling storm pattern packing 75 MPH winds swept across the Northern Virginia area downing power lines, trees and leaving about a million folks without air conditioning, refrigeration, and in many cases, access to food and gasoline.

I’m one of the lucky ones, however. I live in a community with buried power lines and we are pretty close to an electrical substation. And our grocery store managed to stay open, although it was constantly devoid of ice and water. Local families and friends have been over to shelter from the heat. But check out the twitter hashtag of STORMAGEDDON:

Those @Allstate Mayhem commercials aren’t so funny anymore #stormageddon

— Andrea Stern (@annaline_39) June 30, 2012

“@_caturday: In the 1700s, “We have ice!” was an effective ad campaign. #AlexVATweetup” I think it still is today thanks to #Stormageddon

— Rachel Greiner (@gator_rach) July 1, 2012

“@Cameron_Gray: R.I.P. Gazebo – April 2012-June 2012 – @WTOP #Stormageddon twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/s…” Such a tragedy.

— Carrie Kausch (@DogearedCarrie) July 1, 2012

Charging my phone off my dying UPS and reading tweets by LED glowstick light. #nerdwithoutpower #stormageddon

— dedi (@kweerious) June 30, 2012

Sitting in car. AC on full. Two kids sleeping in back seat. Finishing “A Feast for Crows.” #Stormageddon

— Stewart Bushman (@stoobush) July 1, 2012