STAFFORD, Va. – Severe thunderstorms that swept through Stafford County on Monday, May 5, have left thousands without electricity, with the hardest-hit areas now including Austin Ridge and Aquia Harbour.
Dominion Energy reports more than 5,200 customers without power in affected neighborhoods. Specific outage counts include 85 customers in Leeland, 67 in Crows Nest, 442 near Stafford Regional Airport, and the largest outage in the area encompassing Austin Ridge and Aquia Harbour.
The National Weather Service says the storms were part of a larger system driven by a cold front moving through the Mid-Atlantic. The most intense period of storm activity was expected between 5 and 10 p.m. Monday, with risks including high winds, hail, and even isolated tornadoes. Radar scans Monday evening showed rotating storm cells and strong shear conditions.
Scattered showers may persist into Tuesday, but the threat of severe weather is expected to taper off as the system moves north. Forecasters say clearer skies are likely by Wednesday, with another front expected later in the week.
