Rare February severe storm hits Montgomery County

Damaged car on
Norbeck Road

Montgomery County is being pounded by severe storms this morning. A tornado was issued for parts of Gaithersburg and Germantown, as well as the northeast corner of the upcounty near the Howard and Carroll County borders. Flooding has been reported across the upcounty, as have fallen trees and power lines. The whole county is being hit by the unusual February summer-style storm, but the upcounty is being affected the most.

Power lines, tree down on
Darnestown Road at
White Ground Road

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services have received so many emergency calls that they are now operating under Condition Red, which means there may be longer response times, particularly for non-critical incidents. Violent weather and storm damage have also impacted parts of Poolesville, Rockville and Silver Spring, most notably in the Dawsonville, Norbeck Road and Layhill Road areas.

Route 109 is currently blocked between MD 355 and the I-270 overpass after a tree fell across the roadway. Some lanes are also blocked at Route 28 and Route 107. Trees are also reported down by MCFRS on Circle Gate Drive in Germantown.

Photos by Pete Piringer/MCFRS

Darnestown's Windridge Winery tasting room on Planning Board agenda

Windridge Vineyards grapes growing
along Darnestown Road

Windridge Vineyards at 15700 Darnestown Road in Darnestown has proposed adding a winery tasting room to their property. That proposal is now coming before the Montgomery County Planning Board, at their June 6 meeting.

Map of proposed vehicle access point (in blue)
for the tasting room on Darnestown Road

The proposal includes a new road access point on Darnestown Road, at the Bellingham Drive intersection. Windridge would also provide a 10' multi-use path along the frontage of their property as part of the project. Planning staff is recommending approval of the tasting room. Windridge hopes to open the tasting room this summer.

NOISY SUMMER NIGHTS AHEAD IN FALLSGROVE AREA OF ROCKVILLE

New sounds may join the coyote howls and ambulances in Fallsgrove this summer.

Dustin Construction has requested a Temporary Noise Waiver from the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection for nighttime digging, construction and burial of a new underground sewer line.

The company describes the work as follows: road deck demolition, pipe installation, and road deck repair.

[Insert jackhammer sound here.]

Work will span the summer from June until late August, between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM on weeknights.

The work will be at the Darnestown Road intersections with Shady Grove Road and Glen Mill Road.