Alert archive / Delaware / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 202, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 18, 2026Sussex County, Delaware

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 18, 2026, 6:54 PM EDT for Sussex County, Delaware. It was in force for 22 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 18, 2026, 6:54 PM EDT (22:54 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 2026, 7:16 PM EDT
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Sussex County, DE

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 2 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:56 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 18, 7:00 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Ne Belltown, DESocial media picture of a large billboard knocked down.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 18, 1:55 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 168 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2026-07-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1396 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2026-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 126 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1396 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-112 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
936 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
126 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
131 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
5.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

841 
WUUS51 KPHI 182254
SVRPHI
DEC005-182345-
/O.NEW.KPHI.SV.W.0202.260718T2254Z-260718T2345Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
654 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Central Sussex County in southern Delaware...

* Until 745 PM EDT.

* At 653 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Bridgeville,
  or 8 miles northwest of Georgetown, moving east at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Damage to roofs, siding, trees, and power lines is 
           possible.

* Locations impacted include...
  Georgetown, Seaford, Lewes, Milton, Bridgeville, Ellendale,
  Henlopen Acres, Cape Henlopen State Park, Greenwood, and Dewey
  Beach.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for central and
southern Delaware.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for central and
southern Delaware.

&&

LAT...LON 3883 7565 3884 7561 3884 7555 3885 7555
      3886 7554 3897 7506 3870 7497 3860 7558
TIME...MOT...LOC 2253Z 253DEG 32KT 3874 7553 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

MPS
2 follow-up statements
684 
WWUS51 KPHI 182311
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
711 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

DEC005-182345-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0202.000000T0000Z-260718T2345Z/
Sussex DE-
711 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM EDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY...

At 710 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Milton, or near
Georgetown, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Damage to roofs, siding, trees, and power lines is 
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Georgetown, Milford, Lewes, Milton, Ellendale, Henlopen Acres, Cape
Henlopen State Park, and Dewey Beach.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for southern
Delaware.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 3888 7547 3897 7507 3893 7504 3870 7497
      3863 7538
TIME...MOT...LOC 2310Z 253DEG 31KT 3878 7535 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

MPS
832 
WWUS51 KPHI 182316 RRA
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
716 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

DEC005-182326-
/O.CAN.KPHI.SV.W.0202.000000T0000Z-260718T2345Z/
Sussex DE-
716 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN SUSSEX COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 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 3888 7547 3897 7507 3893 7504 3870 7497
      3863 7538
TIME...MOT...LOC 2315Z 253DEG 32KT 3880 7528 

$$

MPS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 2:12 AM EDTHeat AdvisoryPHISussex17 hr
Jul 18, 5:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIKent, New Castle61 min
Jul 18, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatPHIKent, Sussex49 min
Jul 18, 6:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHISussex44 min
Jul 18, 6:27 PM EDTTornado WarningPHISussex33 min
Jul 18, 6:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPHIKent, Sussex36 min
Jul 18, 7:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHISussex8 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Delaware, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

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.