Silver Spring, MD ...its pretty bad

Our whole family was just chillin at home in No. VA for that really short but LOUD storm. The power was flickering on and off and at one point off for only about 5 minutes. We didn't think of it as anything even though it was raining cats and dogs and Zeus' lightning bolts.
My sister and I left to go visit are grandparents in Silver Spring, MD yesterday and the one hour trip took two hours! 495 was completely backed up; I mean it usually is of course but we left at a time we knew everyone was already at work. When we finally got to Silver Spring all the stoplights were out and there was police at every intersection managing traffic. aka im pretty sure the whole department of Maryland popo's were out there. On top of that we see split trees fallen onto the roads and most of the stores and restaurants around had no power. We finally get to our grandparents' coldesack and some people's yards were completely ruined. Our grandparents house and tree's, thank god, weren't effected but their neighbor's huge pear tree in front of their house split into two! I really wish I could take pictures of this scene here right now! First the earth quake, and now this storm -what has Maryland done besides breed great crabs?!