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Wednesday’s record rainfall no match for tropical storms

By Lauryn Ricketts

WASHINGTON – With the record rainfall totals the regain saw Wednesday, it is difficult not to compare that with some tropical weather that has come across the Mid-Atlantic in the past.

Here are a few graphics to compare this week’s total accumulated rain – up to 6 inches in spots – with rainfall produced from tropical storms, hurricanes, and remnants of tropical activity.

␎ fran.gif

Hurricane Fran made landfall near Cape Fear, N.C., on Sept. 6, 1996 and weakened to a depression while moving through the state of Virginia. Fran dropped 16 inches of rain in the Big Meadows area causing record flooding along the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. Old Town Alexandria was evacuated due to rising water that was more than 3 feet deep. Flooding from Fran in Virginia caused $350 million in damage and more than 100 people were rescued from the flood waters.

Tidal flooding was also a problem on the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. A surge of 5.1 feet created moderate flooding around the Washington Harbor. The area received anywhere from 2 inches to 14 inches of rain.

␎ floyd.jpg

Hurricane Floyd made landfall near Cape Fear, N.C., on Sept. 16, 1999 as a Category 2 hurricane. It weakened as it moved through the Delmarva Peninsula but heavy rain fell across the Mid-Atlantic along a pre-existing front. Anywhere from 12 inches to 14 inches of rain were recorded in some spots of Maryland alone!

Minor flooding of low lying areas occurred in Southern Maryland including St. Mary’s, Calvert and Anne Arundel counties. D.C. received from 4 to 6 inches of total accumulated rainfall, with the WTOP listening area receiving on average between 2 and 12 inches.

␎ ernesto.gif

Tropical Storm Ernesto tracked through Florida, entering at the southern tip and continued its path towards the east coast, finally making landfall as a tropical storm in Brunswick County, N.C., on August 31, 2006. As it reached southeastern Virginia, it became a tropical depression and became extratropical 24 hours later. It still dropped a lot of rain on the region though, measuring anywhere from near 7.75 inches in King George, Va., to more than 3 inches in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

␎ irene.png

Hurricane Irene passed through the northeastern part of the U.S., making landfall on Aug. 27, 2011 near Cape Lookout, N.C., bringing heavy rainfall all across the region. Anywhere from 2 inches to 11.5 inches of rain was reported across the WTOP listening area (with St. Mary’s County receiving the heaviest rainfall averaging between 8 and 11 inches). Lots of roads were closed due to the massive flooding, mostly east of Interstate 95. In addition, according to the National Weather Service, the river gauge on St. Clement Creek near Clements, Md., in St. Mary’s County set a new record level of 6.98 feet.

␎ irene2.png

Just a week and a half after Hurricane Irene moved through the area, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee scooted across our region in early September 2011. Grounds were already saturated in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. from the heavy rainfall from Irene. High pressure to the north blocked the storm from advancing and moving out of the region so rain continued to fall across the area. Heavy bands set up on Sept. 7, 2011 bringing rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour triggering high water rescues, road closures and flooded homes.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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