(Reuters) - A powerful storm hit the U.S. capital on Friday, downing trees with wind gusts of up to 79 miles per hour, topping hurricane force levels and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes in the Washington area.
Bands of rain lashed the city and winds toppled power lines and littered the streets with tree limbs as the fast-moving storm, which started in the Midwest after a day of severe heat, reached Washington and its suburbs late in the evening.
WTOP radio said more than 800,000 people in the Washington area were without power.
The Washington Post said it had reports of winds gusting up to 79 miles per hour in Reston, Virginia.
our power went out last night at 10:00. Power company said they'll have it back on by 6:00 pm tomorrow.
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