Alert archive / Delaware / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 270, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 28, 2026Sussex County, Delaware

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 28, 2026, 7:40 PM EDT for Sussex County, Delaware. It was in force for 50 min. 2 reports 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 28, 2026, 7:40 PM EDT (23:40 UTC)
Expired: Jul 28, 2026, 8:30 PM EDT
In force: 50 min
Issued by: NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Possible
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Sussex County, DE

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 26 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:39 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 28, 7:47 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 E Bethel, DE	Pictures on social media showed trees down on Woodland Ferry Road. The roadway is blocked and also power lines are down. Time estimated from radar.
Jul 28, 8:19 PM EDT	TSTM WND GST 63	3 Nnw Long Neck, DE	Personal Weather Station: KDEHARBE3.

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 28, 2:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	9 hr
Jul 28, 4:20 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 182 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: 710 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 968 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 174 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 1.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

492 
WUUS51 KPHI 282340
SVRPHI
DEC005-290030-
/O.NEW.KPHI.SV.W.0270.260728T2340Z-260729T0030Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
740 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

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

* Until 830 PM EDT.

* At 740 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from Ellendale to near Seaford to near Hurlock, moving
  southeast 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, Millsboro, Laurel, Lewes, Milton, Selbyville,
  Bridgeville, Delmar, Dagsboro, Millville, Ellendale, Henlopen
  Acres, Gumboro, Cape Henlopen State Park, Sycamore, Long Neck,
  Ocean View, Blades, and Frankford.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for southern
Delaware...and eastern Maryland.

Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quickly
from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the
basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.

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

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

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for southern
Delaware...and eastern Maryland.

&&

LAT...LON 3846 7569 3866 7571 3872 7571 3894 7529
      3881 7516 3882 7507 3845 7502 3846 7505
      3845 7505 3845 7536
TIME...MOT...LOC 2340Z 299DEG 30KT 3882 7545 3869 7565 3859 7587 

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

$$

Staarmann

2 follow-up statements

209 
WWUS51 KPHI 290011
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
811 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

DEC005-290030-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0270.000000T0000Z-260729T0030Z/
Sussex DE-
811 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM EDT
FOR SUSSEX COUNTY...

At 811 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Lewes to Dagsboro to Delmar, moving east at 40
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, Millsboro, Laurel, Lewes, Milton, Selbyville,
Delmar, Dagsboro, Millville, Ellendale, Henlopen Acres, Gumboro, Cape
Henlopen State Park, Sycamore, Long Neck, Ocean View, Blades,
Frankford, and South Bethany.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for southern
Delaware...and eastern Maryland.

Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quickly
from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the
basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.

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

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading
killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to
be struck by lightning.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3846 7569 3866 7571 3868 7543 3884 7544
      3894 7529 3881 7516 3882 7507 3845 7502
      3846 7505 3845 7505
TIME...MOT...LOC 0011Z 273DEG 35KT 3875 7518 3854 7526 3847 7559 

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

$$

Staarmann

954 
WWUS51 KPHI 290031
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
831 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

DEC005-290040-
/O.EXP.KPHI.SV.W.0270.000000T0000Z-260729T0030Z/
Sussex DE-
831 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SUSSEX COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

The storms which prompted the warning are moving out of the area 
offshore. Therefore, the warning has been allowed to expire. However 
heavy rain is still possible with these thunderstorms.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 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 3846 7569 3866 7571 3868 7543 3884 7544
      3894 7529 3881 7516 3882 7507 3845 7502
      3846 7505 3845 7505
TIME...MOT...LOC 0030Z 299DEG 30KT 3868 7501 3847 7509 3840 7542 

$$

Staarmann

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 28, 5:29 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	New Castle	61 min
Jul 28, 5:53 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Kent	52 min
Jul 28, 6:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Kent, New Castle	52 min
Jul 28, 6:16 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PHI	New Castle	29 min
Jul 28, 6:23 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	New Castle	67 min
Jul 28, 6:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	PHI	Kent, New Castle	67 min
Jul 28, 6:46 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PHI	New Castle	29 min
Jul 28, 6:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Kent	50 min
Jul 28, 6:59 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Kent, Sussex	61 min
Jul 28, 7:11 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	New Castle	3 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Delaware, 2026 Every 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.