Flash Flood in Delaware, October 19, 1996

Rain, heavy at times, fell across northern Delaware during the first half of the day on the 19th. The heavy rain caused the flash flooding of several streams in the northern half of the county. The Christina River at Cooch's Bridge reached its 9 foot flood stage at 230 a.m. EDT, crested at 11.7 feet at 915 a.m. EDT and was back within bankfull at 315 p.m. EDT. The White Clay Creek near Newark reached its 13 foot flood stage at 530 a.m. EDT, crested at 14.9 feet at 9 a.m. EDT and was back within bankfull during the early afternoon of the 19th. The Red Clay Creek at Wooddale reached its 5.5 foot flood stage at 630 a.m. EDT on the 19th, crested at 7.0 feet at 11 a.m. EDT and was below flood stage again at 3 p.m. EDT. No serious damage or injuries were reported.A low pressure system developed near Norfolk during the late evening of the 18th. At 8 a.m. EDT on the 19th, it was located east of Atlantic City. The low became captured by another low at higher levels of the atmosphere and consequently moved little the ensuing 24 hours. It was near Manasquan, NJ at 2 p.m. EDT on the 19th, Allentown, PA at 8 p.m. EDT on the 19th, near Harrisburg, PA at 2 a.m. EDT on the 20th and Hagerstown, MD at 8 a.m. EDT on the 20th. Tropical moisture associated with Hurricane Lili (Which was farther east in the Atlantic.) was ingested into this low and literally was wrung out over Delaware. The slowing of the low pressure system's forward speed prolonged the heavy rain in northern Delaware. But, the rain was even heavier farther north. Representative storm totals included 3.4 inches in Newark, 3.05 inches in Odessa, 2.06 inches in Wilmington and 2.0 inches in Prices Corner.