Image of the aftermath of 2003’s Hurricane Isabel. Photo by Kelly Nigro.

This afternoon, Mayor Vince Gray announced that he would declare a state of emergency in the District of Columbia, enabling the city to receive assistance from the National Guard and federal funding, if necessary. Earlier today, Gray echoed sentiments from Pepco regarding potential issues with power outages, stating that Hurricane Irene could “cause power outages that may last through several days” and that “residents should have an adequate supply of medications, infant formula, water, fresh batteries and other essentials.”

As far as Metro goes, WMATA announced this afternoon that it would consider shutting down above-ground rail service if the region experiences “sustained winds” of over 45 miles per hour. At this point, forecasts appear to show the height of the storm bringing winds right around that velocity, so it could very well be a last-minute decision from the transit agency.

One thing you won’t have to worry about? Stocking up on bottled water. DC Water says that they are not expecting the rains and high winds to affect the city’s tap water, so you should feel confident that you’ll be able to stay hydrated.

If you’re bunkering down all weekend, you might want to keep an eye on DC Cable Channel 16, which will apparently be running updates from the District’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency all weekend long. Whatever you do, just stay away from Costco.