Delaware, 1996

Heavy Rain in Delaware, August 12 to 13, 1996

August 12 to 13, 1996 · NWS PHI · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States Monday morning the 12th moved northeast and passed through the Delmarva Peninsula the morning of the 13th. It tapped the abundant moisture over the South and consequently produced heavy rain across all of Delaware.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.

A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States Monday morning the 12th moved northeast and passed through the Delmarva Peninsula the morning of the 13th. It tapped the abundant moisture over the South and consequently produced heavy rain across all of Delaware. Rainfall totals averaged between 2 and 4 inches. This occurred over about a 24 hour span thus flooding was limited to poor drainage locations. Farther north in Delaware stream and river flooding did occur in New Castle County. Storm totals included 3.92 inches in Lewes, 3.85 in Dover and 2.84 inches in Camden.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Kent

When
August 12, 10:00 AM EST to August 13, 8:00 AM EST
Where
Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
39.096, -75.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Inland Sussex

When
August 12, 10:00 AM EST to August 13, 8:00 AM EST
Where
Inland Sussex forecast zone
Coordinates
38.683, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Delaware Beaches

When
August 12, 10:00 AM EST to August 13, 8:00 AM EST
Where
Delaware Beaches forecast zone
Coordinates
38.683, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Delaware in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Delaware, August 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5571213, 5571214, 5571215.