Evening star., 1941-07-14
Cloudy and Light Rain
Forecast for Capital
And Area Today
Sunday Downpour
Causes Widespread
Damage in Cellars

Washington and vicinity looked
forward today to q day of cloudiness
and occasional light rains after
storm Yesterday which caused dam
age estimated at thousands OF
dollars.
The heavy doWnpour, amounting
to 159 inches in five hours, sWelled
the total rainfall for the first 13
days of July to the third highest for
any similar period since 1871, &C
cording to records of the United
States Weather Bureau.
The total for this month is 492
inches, the bureau reported This
figure was exceeded only in 1905,
when 59l inches were recorded. and
in 1922, which had a rainfall for
the period of 5.58 inches.
But Weather Bureau officials eX-
planned that these other records re-
suited from heavy. one-day down.
pours. due to storms moving up from
the Gulf, and were not spread gen.
orally over the entire 13 davs. as
has been the case this year So far
this month. July l has been the
only day on which there was no
rainfall.
Lightning Sets House Afire.
A major part of the damage in
yesterdays storm resulted from
flooded cellars Trees were blown
down in many sections of the storm
area and, in one instance, lightning
struck the roof of a house and set
1t afire.
The force of the flood at Fourth
and Ingraham streets NV. moved
automobiles from their parking
, places. One resident was able to
paddle a boat along the street q:
| Thirteenth street and Arkansas
avenue NV Traffic was tied up
by high water in several locations
in the city and vicinity.
Dozens of calls came into the
switchboard at firm alarm head
quarters as waters rose in the eel
| lars, and 18 men and four pumps
were sent out in answer to them.
| Firemen assisted in removing a sick
woman from the basement of a
home in the 200 block of R
street NV.
Because of damage left by what
they called the worst of numerous
| floods residents of Queens Chapel
Manor, low-cost housing develop
ment near Hyattsville, Md, an
nounced they would withhold pay
ments on their F.. H. A.-insured
homes until something was done to
prevent future flooding. A protest
was drawn up and circulated, pre-
paratory to presentation to the F..
H. A. and the Prince Georges County
commissioners
Engine Co. No. % extinguished
blaze in the roof of the home of
Edgar Wright. $500 block of Piney
Branch road NV. started by light
ming. Miss Kay Miller, roomer,
who was the only occupant of the
house at the time, was uninjured.
Rock Greek Park was closed to
traffic several hours Water reached
depth of S feet in the MassaChu-
sets underpass and to feet in the
Silver Spring, Md, viaduct, tying
up traffic in each instance.
Heavy Downpours Nearby.
Heavy downpours also were re-
ported throughout the nearby areas,
particularly at Arlington, Va; Be-
thesda, Md, and in Prince Georges
and Anne Arundel Counties, Md.
Glenmont Heights, Md, was with
out lights for a time after lightning
struck a transformer there.
Only twice since 1871 has the rain
fall on a July l3 exceeded that of
yesterday, United States Weather
Bureau records also show The
downpour put the month 305 inches
ahead of the normal for this period
of July, but the total for the year
still is $40 inches behind the aver
age, officials reported.
Tomorrow. according to the fore
cast, will be fair and somewhat
warmer. Slightly lower temperature
Is predicted fer tonight.