Foot of rain closes parts of Washington

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, June, 2006 | by Steve Goldstein

Biblical.

That was the word weather forecasters and storm-weary commuters were using yesterday to describe a two-day deluge of a foot of rain that closed governmental agencies and the National Zoo, and toppled a 100-year-old elm tree on the White House lawn.

A steady parade of thunderstorms and heavy showers described as an "atmospheric traffic jam" by forecasters caused widespread flooding in the Metro system and mudslides on the 62-mile Beltway that circles the capital.

Flooding closed the National Archives, the Commerce and Justice Departments, and the Internal Revenue Service headquarters. It also contributed to a steam outage that closed the National Gallery of Art. There were numerous reports of emergency crews using boats to rescue motorists from high...