2,600 Flights Cancelled, Thousands Without Power As US Braces For Storms

U.S. government offices in the Washington D.C. area closed early on Monday because of threatening weather as forecasters warned people across the eastern U.S. of possible tornadoes, damaging winds and large hailstones.

Fast-moving thunderstorms and powerful winds toppled trees and knocked out power for nearly 200,000 homes and businesses in neighboring Maryland and Virginia, according to tracking website PowerOutage.us. As many as 800,000 customers had lost power in the southern and mid-Atlantic states.

Though drenched with rain and pelted with some hail, the nation's capital had escaped any twisters by the time a National Weather Service tornado watch expired at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT).