The combination of a persistent onshore flow and spring tides associated with the departing perigean full moon caused minor tidal flooding during the evening high tides on the 24th and 25th. In addition, the onshore flow caused a pounding surf with some beach erosion just before the start of the Memorial Day Weekend.
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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.
The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.
The combination of a persistent onshore flow and spring tides associated with the departing perigean full moon caused minor tidal flooding during the evening high tides on the 24th and 25th. In addition, the onshore flow caused a pounding surf with some beach erosion just before the start of the Memorial Day Weekend. The higher than normal tides washed away four of the seven rare piping plower nests at Cape Henlopen and Gordons Pond. The flooding and beach erosion extended into protective dunes that washed away nests established by pairs of the endangered species. The high surf and tides flattened the beach at Cape Henlopen. At Breakwater Harbor, the highest tide reached 7.05 feet above mean lower low water with the evening high tide on the 25th. Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.7 feet above mean lower low water. The higher than normal tides were caused by a persistent northeast flow as a blocking pattern occurred in the western Atlantic Ocean. A low pressure system in the Ohio Valley during the morning of the 23rd moved east and reached the Atlantic Ocean east of Delaware and New Jersey on the 24th. This low pressure system was captured by a closed low at higher levels of the atmosphere and remained over the nearby offshore waters through the 26th. A high pressure system over southeastern Canada helped enhanced the northeast flow from the 24th through the 26th. The whole low pressure system then started to drift east on the 26th and was east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts by the morning of the 27th.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 24, 3:15 AM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 415 AM EDT TUE MAY 24 2005 .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... A BROAD MID/UPPER LEVEL LOW COMPLEX REMAINED OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES EARLY THIS MORNING. THE DOMINANT MID/UPPER CIRCULATION WAS CENTERED OVER SOUTHERN VERMONT AT 400 AM. THAT FEATURE WILL DRIFT SOUTHWESTWARD, REACHING SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. IT WILL THEN BEGIN TO WORK ITS WAY SOUTHEASTWARD AND IT SHOULD PASS OFF THE VIRGINIA CAPES ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. AS THE PRIMARY MID/UPPER LOW PASSES TO THE NORTHWEST OF OUR FORECAST AREA TODAY, THE PRECIP WRAPPED AROUND IT SHOULD MAINLY AFFECT OUR COUNTIES IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY. WELL CARRY LIKELY POPS THERE FOR THIS MORNING AND DROP THEM TO CHANCE POPS FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS THE LOW PUSHES INTO CENTRAL AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. MEANWHILE, WELL SIMPLY CARRY SCATTERED SHOWERS (CHANCE POPS) FOR TODAY FOR OUR COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND ON THE UPPER DELMARVA. WELL INCLUDE PHL COUNTY AND DELAWARE COUNTY WITH THE LATTER GROUP AS WELL. FOR TONIGHT WELL START OUR ENTIRE FORECAST AREA WITH CHANCE POPS. HOWEVER, AS THE LOW BEGINS TO MOVE BACK TOWARD THE COAST WELL INCREASE THE POPS TO LIKELY FOR LATE TONIGHT. WE SHOULD NOT ONLY SEE THE PRECIP WITH THE LOW ITSELF BUT WELL LIKELY BE IN THE PATH OF SOME ADDITIONAL PRECIP BEING DRAWN DOWN INTO OUR REGION ON THE NORTHEAST WIND. THE MID/UPPER LOW SHOULD BEGIN TO DRIFT OUT TO SEA ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WELL INDICATE A GRADUAL DECREASE IN POPS DURING THOSE TWO FORECAST PERIODS. FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY WELL LINGER THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND SOME CLOUDS INTO THURSDAY MORNING. AREAS TO THE SOUTH AND WEST SHOULD SEE IMPROVING CONDITIONS A LITTLE SOONER. A RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN BUILDING IN FROM THE WEST ON THURSDAY AND WE SHOULD SEE SOME SUNSHINE AND MORE SEASONABLE TEMPS AT THAT TIME. && .LONG TERM (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)... ON FRIDAY, A NEW FRONTAL SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO CROSS THE AREA FROM THE WEST WITH POSSIBLE SHOWERS AND TSTMS. FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IT LOOKS LIKE TEMPERATURES WILL BE MORE SEASONABLE. ALTHOUGH AN AFTERNOON SHOWER CANNOT BE RULED OUT EITHER SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE DRY THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION... SC/AC COVER THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. SHOWERS ROTATING DOWN FROM THE NE WILL CLIP OUR NORTHERN ZONES THIS MORNING POSSIBLY ACCOMPANIED BY MVFR CONDITIONS. OTHERWISE CIGS WILL GRADUALLY LOWER LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT AS MOISTURE ROTATES AROUND THE OFFSHORE LOW. && .MARINE... APPEARS AS IF ONSET OF STRONGER WINDS WILL BE SLIGHTLY DELAYED, PROBABLY NOT REACHING SCA CRITERIA UNTIL THIS EVENING AT THE EARLIEST. WILL NOT MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF GALE FORCE GUSTS. THE HIGHEST GUSTS WILL OCCUR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK JUST BELOW GALE FORCE. SEAS WILL BEGIN TO RISE LATE TODAY AND SHOULD MAX OUT AT 8 TO 10 FT WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .TIDES... TIDE HEIGHTS REACHED MINOR COASTAL FLOOD LEVELS IN SOME LOCATIONS LAST EVENING. DEPARTURES CONTINUE TO RUN BETWEEN THE ECS AND THE SSE. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE CAN EXPECT MORE WIDESPREAD MINOR FLOODING AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE THIS EVENING AND AGAIN WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE MORNING HIGH TIDES ARE ASTRONOMICALLY LOWER AND SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. THE SPS WILL BE REISSUED. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ZONES ANZ450>455. && SHORT TERM...IOVINO LONG TERM...RNS AVIATION/MARINE/TIDES...RPW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 500 AM EDT TUE MAY 24 2005 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055- 060>062-067>071-251100- ATLANTIC NJ-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY NJ-BERKS PA-BUCKS PA-CAMDEN NJ- CAPE MAY NJ-CARBON PA-CAROLINE MD-CECIL MD-CHESTER PA- COASTAL ATLANTIC NJ-COASTAL OCEAN NJ-CUMBERLAND NJ-DELAWARE PA- DELAWARE BEACHES DE-EASTERN MONMOUTH NJ-GLOUCESTER NJ-HUNTERDON NJ- INLAND SUSSEX DE-KENT MD-KENT DE-LEHIGH PA-MERCER NJ-MIDDLESEX NJ- MONROE PA-MONTGOMERY PA-MORRIS NJ-NEW CASTLE DE-NORTHAMPTON PA- NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON NJ-OCEAN NJ-PHILADELPHIA PA-QUEEN ANNES MD- SALEM NJ-SOMERSET NJ-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON NJ-SUSSEX NJ-TALBOT MD- WARREN NJ-WESTERN MONMOUTH NJ- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLENTOWN...ATLANTIC CITY...BETHLEHEM... CAMDEN...DOVER...NEW BRUNSWICK...NEWARK...PERTH AMBOY... PHILADELPHIA...READING...TRENTON...VINELAND AND WILMINGTON 500 AM EDT TUE MAY 24 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE, AND NEW JERSEY (EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEASTERN COUNTIES). .DAY ONE... MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE THIS EVENING ALONG THE COASTS OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE. BEACH EROSION IS ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... TIDAL FLOODING MAY CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE ON WEDNESDAY AS A SLOW MOVING LOW MEANDERS OFF THE COAST. THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME BEACH EROSION IN DELAWARE AND IN NEW JERSEY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 431 AM EDT TUE MAY 24 2005 DEZ001>004-NJZ012>014-016>027-PAZ070-071-242100- ATLANTIC NJ-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY NJ-CAMDEN NJ-CAPE MAY NJ- COASTAL ATLANTIC NJ-COASTAL OCEAN NJ-CUMBERLAND NJ-DELAWARE PA- DELAWARE BEACHES DE-EASTERN MONMOUTH NJ-GLOUCESTER NJ- INLAND SUSSEX DE-KENT DE-MIDDLESEX NJ-NEW CASTLE DE- NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON NJ-OCEAN NJ-PHILADELPHIA PA-SALEM NJ- SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON NJ-WESTERN MONMOUTH NJ- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATLANTIC CITY...CAMDEN...DOVER... NEW BRUNSWICK...NEWARK...PERTH AMBOY...PHILADELPHIA... VINELAND AND WILMINGTON 431 AM EDT TUE MAY 24 2005 ...WIDESPREAD MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS LIKELY AROUND THIS EVENINGS AND WEDNESDAY EVENINGS HIGH TIDE... A STRENGTHENING ONSHORE FLOW, COUPLED WITH HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FULL MOON, WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD MINOR TIDAL FLOODING THIS EVENING AS WELL AS FOR WEDNESDAY EVENINGS HIGH TIDE CYCLE. SOME BEACH EROSION IS ALSO POSSIBLE LATER TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LOW PRESSURE OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST WILL MEANDER VERY SLOWLY NORTH THROUGH THURSDAY. THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORM WILL ENHANCE THE ONSHORE FLOW. AS A RESULT, MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS LIKELY AROUND THE EVENING HIGH TIDE CYCLES BOTH TODAY AND WEDNESDAY. ALTHOUGH THE MORNING HIGH TIDES BOTH TODAY AND WEDNESDAY ARE OVER A FOOT LOWER THAN THE EVENINGS, THERE STILL COULD BE LOCALIZED MINOR TIDAL FLOODING, MAINLY IN THE BACK BAYS, SINCE THE WATER WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN DRAINING AT EBB TIDE. THIS EVENINGS HIGH TIDE ALONG THE OCEANFRONT OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 8:30 AND 10:00 PM. HIGH TIDE OCCURS LATER ON THE BAYS AND TIDAL STREAMS IN THE REGION. IF YOU LIVE ALONG THE COAST OR IF YOU WILL BE VISITING THE REGION, BE SURE NOT TO LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE AT A LOCATION THAT IS PRONE TO TIDAL FLOODING. ALSO, DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES. PLEASE LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND STATEMENTS...AND POSSIBLE COASTAL FLOOD WATCHES OR WARNINGS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. RPW/DI
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 storm surge/tide, 1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Delaware in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Delaware, May 2005The 2005 hurricane season
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: 5449527, 5449525, 5449526.