Delaware, 1998

Strong Wind in Delaware, December 22, 1998

December 22, 1998 · NWS PHI · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

The large sea level pressure difference between a deepening low pressure system over the Canadian Maritimes and a large high pressure system over Kansas and Missouri produced peak wind gusts of around 40 mph in Delaware during the day on the 22nd. The highest recorded wind gust was 47 mph at the New Castle County Airport.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Hail
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

The large sea level pressure difference between a deepening low pressure system over the Canadian Maritimes and a large high pressure system over Kansas and Missouri produced peak wind gusts of around 40 mph in Delaware during the day on the 22nd. The highest recorded wind gust was 47 mph at the New Castle County Airport.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Delaware Beaches / X E Sussex

When
December 22, 7:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Delaware Beaches / X E Sussex forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
38.683, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Inland Sussex

When
December 22, 7:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Sussex forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
38.683, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Kent

When
December 22, 7:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Kent forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
39.096, -75.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, New Castle

When
December 22, 7:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
New Castle forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
39.578, -75.639 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Delaware in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Delaware, December 1998

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: 5675443, 5675444, 5675445, 5675446.