Alert archive / Delaware / Tornado Warnings in 2025
Tornado Warning 14, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at May 16, 2025, 2:23 PM EDT for Sussex County, Delaware. It was in force for 52 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
- May 16, 2025, 2:23 PM EDT (18:23 UTC)
- Expired
- May 16, 2025, 3:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 52 min
- Issued by
- NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.5 in
County Sussex County, DE
The radar
The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 38 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2:31 PM EDT | HAIL 1.75 | 1 Se Millsboro, DE | Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.). |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 10:06 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 70 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1302 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -77 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 868 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 71 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 197 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- -0.1
- Supercell composite
- -0.7
The text
As transmitted.
420
WFUS51 KPHI 161823
TORPHI
DEC005-161915-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0014.250516T1823Z-250516T1915Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
223 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southeastern Sussex County in southern Delaware...
* Until 315 PM EDT.
* At 223 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Millsboro, or 8 miles southeast of Georgetown,
moving southeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball 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...
Millsboro, Selbyville, 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.
&&
LAT...LON 3860 7542 3867 7531 3861 7505 3845 7504
3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7526
TIME...MOT...LOC 1823Z 306DEG 16KT 3860 7527
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN
$$
Staarmann3 follow-up statements
445
WWUS51 KPHI 161843
SVSPHI
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
243 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
DEC005-161915-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-250516T1915Z/
Sussex DE-
243 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY...
At 242 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Dagsboro, or 13 miles northwest of Ocean City,
moving southeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and golf ball size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Millsboro, Selbyville, Dagsboro, Millville, Ocean View, Frankford,
and South Bethany.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3856 7537 3862 7530 3858 7505 3845 7504
3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7526
TIME...MOT...LOC 1842Z 321DEG 17KT 3853 7519
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN
$$
Staarmann176
WWUS51 KPHI 161901
SVSPHI
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
301 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
DEC005-161915-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-250516T1915Z/
Sussex DE-
301 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY...
At 301 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Selbyville, or 8 miles northwest of Ocean City,
moving southeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball 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...
Selbyville, Dagsboro, Millville, 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.
&&
LAT...LON 3851 7532 3856 7525 3856 7505 3845 7504
3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7526
TIME...MOT...LOC 1901Z 324DEG 16KT 3847 7516
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN
$$
Staarmann807
WWUS51 KPHI 161913
SVSPHI
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
313 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
DEC005-161923-
/O.EXP.KPHI.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-250516T1915Z/
Sussex DE-
313 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
315 PM EDT...
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and has exited the warned area. Therefore, the warning will
be allowed to expire.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 500 PM EDT for
southern Delaware.
To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Mount Holly NJ.
LAT...LON 3851 7532 3856 7525 3856 7505 3845 7504
3846 7505 3845 7505 3845 7526
TIME...MOT...LOC 1913Z 306DEG 16KT 3844 7511
$$
StaarmannThe office that day
Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 9:34 PM EDT | Dense Fog Advisory | PHI | Kent, New Castle, Sussex | 12 hr |
| May 16, 11:16 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | New Castle | 59 min |
| May 16, 11:32 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | PHI | New Castle | 4 hr |
| May 16, 12:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | New Castle | 40 min |
| May 16, 1:52 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | PHI | Sussex | 38 min |
| May 16, 2:18 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Sussex | 42 min |
| May 16, 6:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Kent, New Castle, Sussex | 70 min |
| May 16, 6:56 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | PHI | Sussex | 34 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Delaware, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025
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.