Alert archive / Delaware / Tornado Warnings in 2024

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

April 3, 2024Sussex County, Delaware

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at Apr 3, 2024, 5:17 PM EDT for Sussex County, Delaware. It was in force for 28 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 3, 2024, 5:17 PM EDT (21:17 UTC)
Expired
Apr 3, 2024, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Sussex County, DE

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 27 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:21 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 3, 12:38 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 78 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2024-04-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 12:00Z on 2024-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 38 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
483 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
116 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

584 
WFUS51 KPHI 032117
TORPHI
DEC005-032145-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0001.240403T2117Z-240403T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
517 PM EDT Wed Apr 3 2024

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

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

* Until 545 PM EDT.
    
* At 517 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Sharptown, or 10 miles southeast of Hurlock,
  moving northeast at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  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...
  Georgetown, Seaford, Millsboro, Laurel, Bridgeville, Sycamore,
  Blades, and Bethel.

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.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3866 7571 3883 7555 3860 7527 3846 7559
      3846 7569
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 228DEG 39KT 3850 7575 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Staarmann
2 follow-up statements
573 
WWUS51 KPHI 032126
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
526 PM EDT Wed Apr 3 2024

DEC005-032145-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-240403T2145Z/
Sussex DE-
526 PM EDT Wed Apr 3 2024

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN SUSSEX COUNTY...
    
At 526 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Laurel, or 12 miles north of Salisbury, moving
northeast at 50 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
Georgetown, Seaford, Millsboro, Laurel, Bridgeville, Sycamore,
Blades, and Bethel.

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.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3866 7571 3883 7555 3860 7527 3846 7559
      3846 7569
TIME...MOT...LOC 2126Z 239DEG 44KT 3855 7563 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Staarmann
265 
WWUS51 KPHI 032144
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
544 PM EDT Wed Apr 3 2024

DEC005-032154-
/O.EXP.KPHI.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-240403T2145Z/
Sussex DE-
544 PM EDT Wed Apr 3 2024

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN SUSSEX COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
545 PM 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 small 
hail, gusty winds, and heavy rain are still possible with this 
thunderstorm.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM EDT for southern
Delaware...and eastern Maryland.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Mount Holly NJ.

LAT...LON 3866 7571 3883 7555 3860 7527 3846 7559
      3846 7569
TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 228DEG 39KT 3867 7546 

$$

Staarmann

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 3:29 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHINew Castle8 hr
Apr 3, 3:35 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHINew Castle7 hr
Apr 3, 4:23 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningPHINew Castle5 hr
Apr 3, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIKent, Sussex42 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Delaware, 2024Every tornado warning in 2024Tornadoes in 2024

Sources

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