Date: 201308
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZDC.ARTCC, VA
Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
ATC / advisory: Center ZDC
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Confusion; Situational Awareness; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: I just relieved a Controller that needed a break. There was weather all around the sector and many deviations. All JFK traffic was routed through our sector; needing 45 miles in-trail. When I was getting my pre-observation of the sector I noticed we [had] 4 JFK [arrivals] to space. Unfortunately our airspace is only 70 miles long; so 4 JFK and 45 miles in-trail is not going to happen without many vectors and speed adjustments. The Controller I relieved had a plan to start holding aircraft over our two main NAVAIDs to help us with the JFK flow. But then Bay 1 (Sector 10/12) wanted spacing between all aircraft as one. So LGA; EWR; BOS; TEB; PVD etc had to be spaced and treated as one. And they also wanted these aircraft to be below all the international flights that we were giving to them. So needless to say that it was not a fun night. I followed the plan to hold aircraft to help out with spacing. Area 5 also had many aircraft deviation into airspace for weather. So to miss my traffic I was holding; they were descending and climbing aircraft non-stop. I slowly started to get my spacing but now instead of making it to the next fix; all aircraft needed to deviate to the left for weather. As my Supervisor was telling me normal routes for JFK and LGA; I still had to find new ways to get around the weather. I told them that because I know the routes were in affect but no aircraft could fly the route for weather. So now all aircraft were rerouted. We coordinated that with Area 1. I have never seen this sector like this before. No matter how many aircraft I got rid of more were coming. It seems that no one wanted to go to the east side of me; just through me. I held 7-10 aircraft and was running out of altitudes. It took a while to get my spacing and separation but it finally worked. It just feels like since we are the busiest area; no matter what the weather looks like; we are always working it. Everyone else can get shut off but not us. I was very surprised that I did not have a separation error; but thanks to my D-Sides and the pilots everything worked out. I don't know about any recommendations; but the flow from TMU did not work. I understand that they are busy; and they look ahead many hours ahead for weather; but the routes we had were terrible. At one point all PHLs had to go over SWL; then it was back to FAK; then back to SWL; it made no sense. Then as I was sitting there; I was still getting handoffs from Area 1 with bad routes going to PHL; so now it's my job to fix it. Communication goes down hill really quickly. At one point supervisors were telling me one thing then controllers from other areas were telling me something else. I understand no can predict pop up thunderstorms but when it does happen it needs to be smoother; everyone has to be on the same page.




Synopsis: ZDC Controller described an unsafe condition when weather factors and in-trail spacing requirements overloaded his/her sector; the reporter indicated TMU efforts were not effective.