High Wind in Delaware, December 12, 2000

A rapidly intensifying low pressure system and its associated cold front produced high winds across most of Delaware during the morning of the 12th. Peak wind gusts ranged between 50 and 60 mph and knocked down trees, tree limbs and power lines. Trash was blowing in the streets and Christmas trees at tree farms and nurseries were blown down. The strongest wind gusts were in the northern part of the state. About 8,000 homes and businesses lost power. One of the worst outages occurred in Hockessin after a tree fell on a substation. A downed pole in Dover nearly crushed several cars. A few roads were closed throughout the state because of downed trees and wires. Peak wind gusts included 53 mph at the New Castle County Airport, 44 mph at the Dover Air Force Base and 43 mph in Georgetown. The low pressure system intensified from a 1009 Mb central pressure in Missouri the morning of the 11th to a 984 Mb low near Burlington Vermont the morning of the 12th. The rapid drop of the low's central pressure of about 25 Mb within a 24 hour period is normally described as a meteorological bomb. This rapid intensification normally occurs over the western Atlantic Ocean, but when it does occur over land, could cause high winds and wind damage.