Alert archive / Delaware / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

March 16, 2026Kent County, Delaware

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at Mar 16, 2026, 10:44 PM EDT for Kent County, Delaware. It was in force for 18 min. 3 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: Mar 16, 2026, 10:44 PM EDT (02:44 UTC)
Expired: Mar 16, 2026, 11:02 PM EDT
In force: 18 min
Issued by: NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.0 in

County Kent County, DE

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 17 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:47 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
Mar 16, 10:47 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	3 Sw Frederica, DE	Broadcast media reported several downed trees, damaged farm equipment, and overturned construction message board trailer west of Killens Pond State Park. Time estimated by radar.
Mar 16, 10:47 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	3 Sw Frederica, DE	Updates previous tstm wnd dmg report from 3 SW Frederica. Broadcast media relayed several downed trees, damaged farm equipment, and overturned construction message board trailer east of Killens Pond State Park. Main damage area is near Canterbury Road, Carpent
Mar 16, 10:48 PM EDT	TORNADO	2 Sw Frederica, DE	An EF-1 tornado occurred south of Frederica. Tree damage started at the intersection of Carpenter Bridge Road and Fork Landing Road, where multiple trees were uprooted and snapped. Tree damage continued eastward along Fork Landing Road, including multiple tree

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
Mar 16, 8:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 170 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: 73 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 702 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 87 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 249 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 333 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

407 
WFUS51 KPHI 170244
TORPHI
DEC001-170315-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0003.260317T0244Z-260317T0315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
1044 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Kent County in central Delaware...

* Until 1115 PM EDT.

* At 1044 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located near Harrington, or 13 miles south of Dover,
  moving east at 55 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...
  Milford, Harrington, Bowers, Big Stone Beach, Felton, Frederica,
  and Riverview.

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.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3901 7563 3912 7532 3894 7527 3894 7532
      3895 7532 3896 7539 3893 7540 3892 7560
TIME...MOT...LOC 0244Z 254DEG 46KT 3897 7555 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

MJL

2 follow-up statements

930 
WWUS51 KPHI 170255
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
1055 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

DEC001-170315-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260317T0315Z/
Kent DE-
1055 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL KENT COUNTY...

At 1054 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Big Stone Beach, or 12 miles southeast of Dover,
moving east at 55 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...
Bowers, Big Stone Beach, and Frederica.

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.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3896 7539 3896 7544 3906 7547 3912 7532
      3897 7528 3895 7527 3895 7532
TIME...MOT...LOC 0254Z 254DEG 46KT 3901 7538 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

MJL

461 
WWUS51 KPHI 170302
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
1102 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

DEC001-170312-
/O.CAN.KPHI.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260317T0315Z/
Kent DE-
1102 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL KENT COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

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

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until midnight EDT for
central and 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.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
eastern Kent County until 1115 PM EDT.

LAT...LON 3896 7539 3896 7544 3906 7547 3912 7532
      3897 7528 3895 7527 3895 7532
TIME...MOT...LOC 0300Z 254DEG 46KT 3904 7525 

$$

MJL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 16, 10:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	New Castle	53 min
Mar 16, 10:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Kent, New Castle, Sussex	62 min
Mar 16, 10:23 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PHI	Kent	37 min
Mar 16, 10:24 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Sussex	62 min
Mar 16, 10:35 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PHI	Kent	25 min
Mar 16, 10:39 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	PHI	New Castle	51 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Delaware, 2026 Every tornado warning in 2026 Tornadoes 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.