AN ACR FK10 REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED TO FLY A 060 DEG HDG FOR WX AVOIDANCE. UPON FREQ CHANGE TO NEXT SECTOR THE ACR WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 7700 AND TURN TO A 030 DEG HDG. ACFT HAD ENTERED A HOT WARNING AREA. CAPT LATER TALKED WITH ATC AND APPARENTLY NO PROBS OCCURRED.

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AVOIDING WX (STRONG/SEVERE WX) BORDERING WASHINGTON; DC/PHL/NEW YORK AREA; REQUESTED 060 DEG HDG FROM ZDC 128.52. FLYING 060 DEGS; FREQ CHANGE TO ZDC 133.12. CTLR SAID (ABOUT XA40Z) TO TURN L IMMEDIATELY AND TO SQUAWK 'MAYDAY.' THE FO AND I WERE INCREDULOUS AND ASKED FOR A CLARIFICATION OF SQUAWK AND THAT WE COULD FLY 030 DEGS BUT ONLY FOR A WHILE. CONFIRMATION OF 7700 FROM ATC RECEIVED AND WE STEERED 030 DEGS. THERE WAS LOTS OF RADIO TFC AND ABOUT THE TIME (XA47Z) WE WERE GOING TO REQUEST A 060 DEG HDG; ATC GAVE US DIRECT HTO; DIRECT CTR; DIRECT ALB. THAT KEPT US AWAY FROM MOST WX AND WE COMPLIED. AT ABOUT XA48Z ATC TOLD US TO SQUAWK XXAB; WHICH WE DID. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS ROUTINE. AT NO TIME WERE WE INFORMED OF 'HOT' WARNING AREAS PRIOR TO FREQ CHANGE TO 133.12. I MADE A PHONE CALL TO ZDC AND SPOKE TO SUPVR FROM THE HOTEL AT XE20 EDT. HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK UP THE DAY'S EVENT(S) AND I GAVE HIM MY HOME PHONE AND THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE PHONE. THE CONVERSATION WAS CORDIAL AND PROFESSIONAL.