Alert archive / Delaware / Tornado Warnings in 2023

Tornado Warning 28, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 21, 2023Sussex County, Delaware

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at Jul 21, 2023, 7:20 AM EDT for Sussex County, Delaware. It was in force for 25 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Jul 21, 2023, 7:20 AM EDT (11:20 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2023, 7:45 AM EDT
In force: 25 min
Issued by: NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

County Sussex County, DE

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:22 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 21, 7:30 AM EDT	TSTM WND GST 40	Dagsboro, DE	Dagsboro DEOS Station gusted to 40mph at 7:30am.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 21, 3:13 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 00:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 69 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 911 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 943 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 65 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

031 
WFUS51 KPHI 211120
TORPHI
DEC005-211145-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0028.230721T1120Z-230721T1145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
720 AM EDT Fri Jul 21 2023

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Sussex County in southern Delaware...

* Until 745 AM EDT.
    
* At 720 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Dagsboro, or 11 miles southeast of Georgetown,
  moving east at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Millsboro, Dagsboro, Millville, Long Neck, Ocean View, Frankford
  and South Bethany.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest
floor of a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3845 7503 3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7509
      3854 7533 3862 7530 3864 7496 3845 7499
TIME...MOT...LOC 1120Z 279DEG 24KT 3857 7525 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

SFJ

2 follow-up statements

371 
WWUS51 KPHI 211129
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
729 AM EDT Fri Jul 21 2023

DEC005-211145-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-230721T1145Z/
Sussex DE-
729 AM EDT Fri Jul 21 2023

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 AM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY...
    
At 729 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Millville, or 13 miles north of Ocean City, moving
east at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Millville, Long Neck, Ocean View and South Bethany. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest
floor of a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3850 7522 3862 7517 3864 7496 3845 7499
      3845 7503 3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7509
TIME...MOT...LOC 1129Z 279DEG 26KT 3855 7514 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

SFJ

018 
WWUS51 KPHI 211140
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
740 AM EDT Fri Jul 21 2023

DEC005-211149-
/O.EXP.KPHI.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-230721T1145Z/
Sussex DE-
740 AM EDT Fri Jul 21 2023

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
745 AM EDT...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However gusty
winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 AM EDT for
southern Delaware.

LAT...LON 3850 7522 3862 7517 3864 7496 3845 7499
      3845 7503 3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7509
TIME...MOT...LOC 1139Z 279DEG 24KT 3854 7505 

$$

SFJ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 7:12 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Sussex	33 min
Jul 21, 7:43 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Sussex	32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Delaware, 2023 Every tornado warning in 2023 Tornadoes in 2023

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.