Closure of U.S. Government Offices in Washington After Severe Storm Warning

The U.S. administration has decided to close government offices in the capital Washington by 3 PM Eastern Time today, Monday, due to the risks posed by a severe storm and the anticipated arrival of a hurricane. The National Weather Service stated that the D.C. area is expecting the hurricane, accompanied by destructive winds, by 9 PM. Additionally, local offices, pools, and other municipal services in the Washington area will also close early. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management confirmed that federal employees must leave their offices by 3 PM. The hurricane warning covers Maryland, Washington, most of Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Furthermore, the flight tracking site FlightAware reported that over 1,100 U.S. flights have been canceled, including 75 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, or 17% of the flights. An additional 4,100 U.S. flights have also been delayed.