LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR AND MLT ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

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I RCVD 4 HANDOFFS FROM ATLANTA CENTER. ACR X WAS NE BOUND ON J14 AT FL330. CENTER OPERATIONS REQUIRE DCA AND IAD ARRIVALS TO CROSS 70 MI NE OF GSO AT FL250. VECTORING WAS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AND LATERAL SEPARATION WAS PLANNED. MLT Y WAS SWBND J75 AT FL310. BECAUSE OF WX TO THE W OF GSO; THIS ACFT DEVIATED TO THE E AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT A VECTOR TO THE W FOR TFC. THIS WAS THE PRIMARY FACTOR WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSE LATERAL SEPARATION. ACR X WAS STOPPED AT FL320 AND TURNED TO A 090 DEG HDG. SEPARATION ESTIMATED AT 1000' VERTICAL AND 3 MI LATERAL. THERE WERE OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT. ACR Z AT FL270; DEST LGA; WAS REQUESTING FL330 AND HAD TO BE MOVED SO THE IAD ARRIVAL OVER HIM COULD BE DESCENDED. ACR Z WAS ISSUED A 040 DEG HDG AND CLIMBED TO FL280. WHEN Z CLRED MLT Y HE WAS CLIMBED TO FL330 THE IAD ARRIVAL WAS ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC AND ACR X AT FL330 WAS ISSUED A 040 DEG HDG TO OBTAIN LATERAL SEPARATION FROM THE ACFT AT FL290 UNDER HIM AND ALSO TO EFFECT LONGITUDINAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE IAD ARRIVAL AND ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; MLT Y DEVIATED TO THE E BECAUSE OF WX AND SAID HE COULD NOT ACCEPT A VECTOR TO THE W;. ACR X WAS STOPPED AT FL320 AND TURNED E. SEPARATION STANDARD WAS VIOLATED. I HAD WORKED THE RADAR POSITION AT GVE HIGH FOR 2 SUCCESSIVE PERIODS OF TIME THIS AFTERNOON. WX TO THE S AND W WAS TSTMS; THERE WERE MANY DEVIATIONS; AND TFC WAS HEAVY TO VERY HEAVY. I HAD BEEN ON THE SECTOR THIS SECOND PERIOD FOR 1 HR 40 MIN AND AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME THE TFC VOLUME WAS DIMINISHING HOWEVER THIS TFC SITUATION WAS FAIRLY COMPLEX; IT REQUIRED GOOD TIMING; QUICK DECISION AND EFFICIENT RESPONSE. UPON REFLECTION; I FEEL THAT MY TIMING HAD BEGAN TO 'SLIP' AND MY DECISION MAKING WAS NOT ACCURATE ENOUGH AS THE INCIDENT DEMONSTRATES. I FEEL THAT WORKING HEAVY TFC FOR 1 HR IS A GRACIOUS PLENTY WITHOUT A BREAK; BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO AFFORD THE LUXURY. I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR MYSELF; BUT THE STAFFING PROBLEM DOES EXIST; AND UNTIL IT IS CORRECTED I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THESE REPORTS. SOLUTION WAS TO LEAVE ACR X AT FL330 UNTIL CLEAR OF MLT Y AND COORDINATION EFFECTED.