Flood in Delaware, March 2, 2007

Name: Flood in Delaware, March 2, 2007
Start: 2007-03-02T04:59
End: 2007-03-02T19:02
Location: Delaware

March 2, 2007 · NWS PHI · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

An intense area of low pressure on the 1st moved into the Upper Midwest with a cold front stretched southward across the Ohio Valley all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, another cold front moved through the Northeast and settled into the Mid Atlantic region. This boundary remained stationary for a time during the overnight hours of the 1st, as the strong low pressure system moved into the western Great Lakes. Gradually an occluded front moved through the area during the morning hours of the 2nd, as a weak area of low pressure developed over eastern Pennsylvania. Along and ahead of this boundary and weak area of low pressure, a good amount of moisture was brought northward across our area. This lead to 1 to 2 inches of rain late on the 1st into the 2nd with the highest amounts occurring in New Castle County. As a result of the heavy rain, some roadway flooding occurred.|The rain began generally between 8:15 PM and 10:00 PM EST on the 1st and became heavy at times, then tapered off between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM EST on the 2nd. Some rainfall totals include, 1.53 inches at the Wilmington Porter Reservoir (New Castle County); 1.43 inches in Newark (New Castle County); 1.27 inches at the New Castle County Airport in Wilmington Airport (New Castle County); 0.64 inches in Sandtown (Kent County); 0.51 inches in Millsboro (Sussex County) and 0.47 inches at the Georgetown Airport (Sussex County).

What forecasters said that day

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 Mar 2, 4:17 AM EST, 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 4:17 AM EST, 42 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
417 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2007

SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
RAIN MOVED IN ON SCHEDULE. DID HAVE A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER EARLY
OVER SOUTHERN NJ AND SE PA. COULD HAVE SOME MORE WITHIN THE NEXT
4 TO 6 HOURS. MODELS ARE MOVING THE HEAVY RAIN RAPIDLY OUT OF OUR
AREA BY MIDDAY...SO WILL CUT BACK THE ENDING TIME FOR THE FLOOD
WATCH TO 1 PM. IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE SNOW PACK...
MAINLY POCONOS...ANY SIGNIFICANT SNOWMELT AND ICE JAM BREAKUPS
COULD CAUSE FLOODING LATER IN THE DAY. WE WILL HANDLE THAT, IF
IT OCCURS WITH WARNINGS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS, SO FAR, MAY BE PUSHING
ONE INCH IN SOME LOCATIONS. THE ONLY AREA WARNED ATTM IS CHESTER
COUNTY IN PA...THE BRANDYWINE CREEK IN PARTICULAR. WITH THE MILD
AIR STREAMING INTO OUR AREA...WE HAVE LET OUR ADVISORY EXPIRE IN
THE NORTH. WHILE THERE MAY STILL BE A FEW ISOLATED POCKETS OF
FREEZING TEMPERATURES, MOST READINGS HAVE CLIMBED ABOVE THAT
MARK. AND WHERE THEY ARE STILL AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW, THEY SHOULD
RISE ABOVE WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. ONCE THE FRONTAL SYSTEM
MOVES OUT OF OUR AREA, RAPID CLEARING IS EXPECTED. SHOULD SEE
PLENTY OF SUNSHINE THIS AFTERNOON. A SECONDARY SURGE OF COLD AIR
WILL CROSS THE REGION SATURDAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST
NORTHEAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES. SCATTERED SHOWERS MAY PRECEED
AND ACCOMPANY THIS COLD PUSH. THERE MAY EVEN BE A FEW SCATTERED
TSTMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING AS THE CONVERGENCE ZONE
INCREASES. AFTER ALL, THIS IS MARCH. A NW FLOW OF COLDER AIR
MOVES INTO OUR REGION SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY.

&&

LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
THE EAST COAST TROUGH HANGS AROUND FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE
EXTENDED. ANOTHER, EVEN COLDER, SURGE DROPS ACROSS THE REGION
LATE MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. LATER IN PERIOD, THE FLOW BECOMES
MORE ZONAL, BRINGING MILDER AIR BACK INTO THE REGION BY WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...
AT 1230 AM, CEILINGS WERE GENERALLY IN THE IFR CATEGORY WITH A FEW
LOCATIONS TOUCHING LIFR. VSBYS WERE GENERALLY MVFR WITH IFR
CONDITIONS IN THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION.

MOS GUIDANCE DID NOT CAPTURE WELL THE DEVELOPMENT AND INLAND PUSH OF
COASTAL FRONT...WITH SSE WINDS TO THE SOUTH OF THE FRONT AND NE
WINDS TO THE NORTH.  06Z TAF ISSUANCE PLAYED UP THIS WIND DIRECTION
DIFFERENCE AND BROUGHT COASTAL FRONT UP INTO VICINITY OF I95
CORRIDOR AIRPORTS (ILG...PHL...PNE...TTN).

THE HEAVIEST OF THE RAIN SHOULD FALL FROM NOW UNTIL AROUND 9:00 AM.
IFR CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY THOUGH MOST OF THAT PERIOD...PARTICULARLY
IN THE SECTOR NORTH AND WEST OF THE COASTAL FRONT.   FOR THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS, WEVE ALSO KEPT THE MENTION OF CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS
(CB) TO SUGGEST THE POSSIBILITY OF SCATTERED TSTMS ALONG WITH THE
MENTION OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR.  00Z MODEL RUNS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRONG SOUTH SOUTHEAST LOW LEVEL JET OVER OUR
REGION...AND THIS IS SUPPORTED BY LATEST ACARS DATA FROM PHL. MOVED
START TIME OF LLWS IN THE TAFS SOONER BY ABOUT AN HOUR BASED ON
ACARS DATA.

06Z NAM MODEL RUN CONTINUES TO SUPPORT HIGH CONFIDENCE FORECAST OF
RAPID IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CONDITIONS.  TIMING SLIGHTLY
SLOWER...EXPECTED NOW 16Z TO 19Z TIMEFRAME.  WINDS WILL SWING AROUND
TO WEST IN THE LATE MORNING AND GUST TO 25 KT DURING THE AFTERNOON.

&&

.MARINE...
GALE WARNING HEADLINES CONTINUE.  NO CHANGE TO PREVIOUS COVERAGE AND
TIMING.  SE FLOW OVER COLD WATER HAVING TROUBLE REACHING SPEEDS
ADVERTISED IN MODELS...BUT STILL EXPECT TO SEE GALE FORCE GUSTS.
NEW WAVEWATCH SUPPORTS PREVIOUS SEAS FORECAST SO NO SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE IN THAT AREA EITHER.  GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE GALES WOULD HOLD
ON A BIT LONGER NORTH THAN SOUTH AS THE SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST, AND
WE ACCOUNT FOR THAT.

&&

TIDES...
HAVE DROPPED COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR ATLANTIC COAST SECTIONS OF
NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE AS WELL AS FOR MARYLAND PORTION OF
CHESAPEAKE BAY.  DEPARTURES ARE NOT RUNNING AS HIGH AS PREVIOUSLY
ANTICIPATED.  HAVE LEFT ADVISORY UP FOR TIDAL DELAWARE AREA AS
STRONG SSE LOW LEVEL FLOW STILL HAS POTENTIAL TO PUSH WATER UP INTO
THAT REGION AND ACHIEVE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING LEVELS DURING HIGH
TIDE LATER TODAY.

&&

.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR PAZ054-055-
     060>062-067>071.

     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 1 PM EST THIS
     AFTERNOON FOR PAZ070-071.

NJ...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NJZ001-007>010-
     012-015-017>019.

     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 1 PM EST THIS
     AFTERNOON FOR NJZ016>019-021.

DE...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DEZ001.

     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 1 PM EST THIS
     AFTERNOON FOR DEZ001-002.

MD...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR MDZ008.

MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430-431-
     452>455.

     GALE WARNING UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ450-451.

&&

SHORT TERM/LONG TERM...RPW
AVIATION/MARINE/TIDES...GSS

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 1, 5:14 AM EST, 23 hours 45 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
514 AM EST THU MAR 1 2007

NJZ001-PAZ054-055-021015-
SUSSEX-CARBON-MONROE-
514 AM EST THU MAR 1 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND
NEW JERSEY, EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING INTO THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT.
HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE TONIGHT. THIS, COUPLED WITH POTENTIAL
SNOW MELT, COULD CAUSE SOME POOR DRAINAGE AND STREAM FLOODING.
THEREFORE, A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HEAVY RAIN MAY CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. FLOODING WILL REMAIN
A POSSIBILITY. THE FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FRIDAY EVENING.
STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS COULD AVERAGE 1 TO 2 INCHES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

NJZ007>010-012-015-PAZ060>062-067>070-021015-
WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-MERCER-BERKS-LEHIGH-
NORTHAMPTON-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-
514 AM EST THU MAR 1 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND
NEW JERSEY, EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT. THIS, COUPLED WITH ANY POTENTIAL
SNOW MELT, COULD CAUSE SOME POOR DRAINAGE AND STREAM FLOODING.
THEREFORE, A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HEAVY RAIN MAY CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. FLOODING WILL REMAIN
A POSSIBILITY. THE FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FRIDAY EVENING.
STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS COULD AVERAGE 1 TO 2 INCHES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

DEZ001-MDZ008-NJZ017>019-PAZ071-021015-
NEW CASTLE-CECIL-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-
PHILADELPHIA-
514 AM EST THU MAR 1 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND
NEW JERSEY, EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT. THIS COULD CAUSE SOME POOR DRAINAGE AND STREAM
FLOODING. THEREFORE, A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY
MORNING. FLOODING WILL REMAIN A POSSIBILITY. THE FLOOD WATCH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL FRIDAY EVENING. STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS COULD AVERAGE
1 TO 2 INCHES

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

DEZ002>004-MDZ012-015-019-020-NJZ013-014-016-020>027-021015-
KENT DE-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-
TALBOT-CAROLINE-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-SALEM-OCEAN-
CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-
COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-
514 AM EST THU MAR 1 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND
NEW JERSEY, EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY
MORNING. STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS COULD AVERAGE AROUND 1 INCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

ANZ430-431-450>455-021015-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM-
514 AM EST THU MAR 1 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND
NEW JERSEY, EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

GALE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT LATE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

GALE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FRIDAY MORNING.

RPW

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, New Castle

When: March 2, 4:59 AM EST to 7:02 PM EST
Where: New Castle County, Newark to Coochs Bridge
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 39.680, -75.750

Heavy rainfall early on the 2nd produced street flooding. Water covered parts of Delaware 9, south of Dobbinsville, slowing traffic. The Christina River at Coochs Bridge rose above its flood stage of 10.5 feet at 5:29 AM EST, crested at 11.54 feet at 8:45 AM EST, and then dropped below flood stage at 12:36 PM EST.| |The White Clay Creek at Newark went above the flood stage of 13.0 feet at 7:49 AM EST, crested at 14.17 feet at 1:00 PM EST, and then dropped below flood stage at 2:55 PM EST. The White Clay Creek at Strickersville went above its flood stage of 9.5 feet at 8:43 AM EST, crested at 9.52 feet at 8:45 AM EST, and then dropped below flood stage at 8:55 AM EST.

The Red Clay Creek at Wooddale went above its flood stage of 7.0 feet at 6:18 AM EST, crested at 8.37 feet at 9:15 AM EST, then dropped below flood stage at 12:53 PM EST At Stanton, the flood stage of 15.0 feet was surpassed at 6:41 AM EST, crested at 15.90 feet at 10:15 AM EST, then dropped below flood stage at 1:39 PM EST.

The Brandywine Creek at Wilmington rose above its flood stage of 11.0 feet at 4:59 AM EST, crested at 13.24 feet at 10:15 AM EST, and then dropped below flood stage at 7:02 PM EST. (all times on the 2nd).

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Delaware in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Delaware, March 2007

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: 21074.