Delaware, 2008

Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Delaware, July 23, 2008

July 23, 2008 · NWS PHI · 3 events in 1 county or zone

An approaching cold front that ended a week long heat wave also triggered severe thunderstorms across Delaware during the afternoon and early evening on the 23rd. The thunderstorms caused outages to about 9,000 homes and businesses in New Castle County.

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
$2,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 approaching cold front that ended a week long heat wave also triggered severe thunderstorms across Delaware during the afternoon and early evening on the 23rd. The thunderstorms caused outages to about 9,000 homes and businesses in New Castle County. There were still 6,000 homes and businesses without power at 11 p.m. EDT.

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 Jul 23, 2:36 PM EST, 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 23, 2:36 PM EST, 24 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
336 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WILL MOVE INTO
THE SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER VALLEY TONIGHT. ITS COLD FRONT SHOULD MOVE
THROUGH THE REGION ON THURSDAY AND SLOWLY OFFSHORE THURSDAY NIGHT.
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD EAST INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY BEFORE MOVING OFFSHORE. A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT IS THEN
FORECAST TO CROSS THE APPALACHIANS AND THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD ON
SUNDAY AND MONDAY BEFORE STALLING JUST OFFSHORE ON TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/...
THE GFS INITIALIZATION OF THE H5 TROF WAS SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THE
WRF-NMM. BOTH MODELS LOOKED DECENT AT 850MB AND 925MB. FROM THERE
THE GFS AND WRF-NMM GO QUICKLY THEIR SEPARATE WAYS WITH THE WRF-NMM
SOLUTION MUCH SLOWER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER MODELS. BASED ON COLLAB
WITH HPC AND THE WRF-NMM ALREADY TOO SLOW, THE TENDENCY FOR NEG TILT
SYSTEMS TO BE FASTER, THIS FCST PACKAGE SIDES CLOSER TO THE GFS.

THROUGH THIS EVENING WRT TO SEVERE WEATHER FIRST ITS ANOTHER MUDDLED
SW FLOW EVENT. WE FIND THE H8 MOISTURE AXIS SOUTHWEST OF THE THERMAL
RIDGE. UPWIND 500MB TEMPS ARE NOT FCST TO DROP THAT MUCH. WE HAVE
THE ENTRANCE REGION OF THE H2.5 JET APPROACHING THE REGION. BUT WE
ALSO HAVE CONVECTION POPPING SW OF OUR CWA THAT WILL START SPEWING
CIRRUS OUR WAY. THE FAR NW HALF OF OUR CWA IS TOO EMBEDDED WITH
CLOUDINESS TO BELIEVE THAT MUCH SVR WEATHER CAN OCCUR. THIS IS GOOD
BECAUSE THE LATEST GFS FCST AND OBSERVED 0-3KM SR HELICITY VALUES
ARE HIGHEST HERE. THE DECENT MID LVL LAPSE RATES AND LLVL WAA IS
EXITING THE NERN PART OF OUR CWA. THIS LEAVES THE SERN HALF OF OUR
CWA IN A PULSE SVR TYPE ENVIRONMENT ESPECIALLY THE LATER INTO THIS
AFTERNOON WE GO. SFC BASED CAPES ARE ABOUT 2500J, SO TSRAS HAVE
STARTED TO POP AND GIVEN THE INSTABILITY MORE SVR STORMS ARE
POSSIBLE. THE GREATEST SHEAR IS IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF NJ AND THE
QUESTION REMAINS CAN THESE STORMS EVOLVE INTO SUPERCELLS AS THIS IS
THE SPOT WHERE THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR THESE TYPE OF TSRAS OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.

ONTO THE HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL ONCE A TROF GOES NEGATIVE, IT BECOMES
A VERY EFFICIENT PCPN PRODUCER. THIS IS FAIRLY ANOMALOUS FOR JULY VS
NOVEMBER. THE GFS HAS BACKED AWAY CONSIDERABLY FROM ITS FORECAST
LLVL JET FROM PREVIOUS RUNS, FORMING IT TOO LATE FOR US. MEANWHILE
THE WRF-NMM PRODUCES COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF NON-CONVECTIVE RAIN. THE GFS
IF ANY TENDENCY SOMETIMES IS TOO EAST WITH HVY RAIN BANDS, SO
THINKING THE SECOND PRONGED APPROACH MIGHT BE TOO FAR EAST, OR TO
PUT IT ANOTHER WAY CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT
WILL MISS US TO THE EAST GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE H2.5 JET. THE
DECREASE IN LLVL WINDS REDUCES THE CHANCES OF BACKWARD PROPAGATING
TSRAS. NEVERTHELESS TRAINING IS LIKELY GIVEN THE SLOW EWD
PROPAGATION OF PCPN BANDS BEFORE THE TROF GOES NEGATIVE TILT. THIS
WOULD FAVOR IF ONE WOULD CALL IT THAT OUR PA CWA AS THE MOST LIKELY
AREA TO SEE THE HEAVIEST RAIN AND TRAINING, ANOTHER AS MY COLLEAGUE
HAS SAID FALL LINE EVENT?

BY THE WAY ITS BEEN SO DRY FOR SO LONG AND THE NYC RESERVOIRS ARE
WELL BELOW CAPACITY THAT IS MORE A SMALLER STREAM, FASTER RESPONDING
CONCERN THAN MAIN STEM RIVERS.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS PACKAGE WAS TO END THE FFA A BIT SOONER AS THE
GFS HAS THE HEAVIEST RAIN OVER BY NOON AND THE CAN RGEM GOES AS FAR
AS HAVE ALL RAIN DONE BEFORE 8 AM. THE WRF-NMM APPEARS TO REMAIN THE
SLOWEST OUTLIER AND MOST NEGATIVE TILT PCPN EVENTS DO NOT DRAG. BY
THE TIME THE HEAVY PRECIP BAND REACHES NJ AND DE, THE TROF SHOULD BE
NEGATIVE. WHILE THE PRECIP SHOULD BE HEAVY, IT SHOULD NOT HAVE THE
LAGGING LOOK THAT THE WRF-NMM HAS. THERE ARE STILL SOME SHORT WAVES
ROTATING THROUGH AND WE DID NOT WANT TO END ALL CHANCES PRIOR TO
NOON. GFS MOS MAX TEMPS LOOK BETTER AS WE ARE EXPECTING SOME
SUNSHINE TO RETURN DURG THE AFTN, ESP SWRN ZONES.

SKIES SHOULD CLEAR ALL AREAS BY THURSDAY NIGHT AND PENDING THE
AMOUNT OF PCPN THAT DOES FALL, SOME PATCHY FOG MIGHT BE NEEDED TO BE
ADDED IN THE ZONES. THERE ARE SOME SHORT WAVES FCST TO MOVE THROUGH
OUR CWA ON FRIDAY, BUT HEIGHTS ARE FCST TO AND FCST SOUNDINGS LOOKED
CAP. WE WILL CONTINUE THE DRY FORECAST. ASSUMING WE GET THE HEAVY
RAIN, MORE ENERGY SHOULD GO TOWARD EVAPORATING THE WATER VS HEATING
THE GROUND AND WE SUSPECT GFS MOS MAY BE TOO WARM FOR THIS REASON IF
EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
MORE PRECIPITATION CHANCES ARE IN THE OFFING AS WELL AS TEMPS THAT
SHOULD AVERAGE CLOSE TO NORMAL AS THE GENERAL LONG WAVE PATTERN WILL
SUPPORT TROFFING OVER THE EASTERN CONUS. THERE IS A LARGER THAN
USUAL MODEL SPREAD WITH RESPECT TO TIMING AND WE GET INTO SOME
PROBABLY SPURIOUS CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK SYSTEMS TOWARD THE END OF THE
PERIOD. SO WHILE CONFIDENCE IS HIGH ABOUT THE PATTERN EVOLVING, ITS
NOT AS HIGH WRT TO THE INDIVIDUAL DAILY DETAILS.

GREATEST CONFIDENCE AS WELL AS BEST MODEL CONSENSUS IS FOR
PRECIPITATION CHANCES WITH THE NEXT COLD FRONT LATER ON SATURDAY
INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. WE WILL CARRY THE HIGHEST POPS OF
THE EXTENDED PERIOD WITH THIS SYSTEM. COULD BE ANOTHER CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE ADJUSTMENT (LIKE TODAY) FOR SHORE AND SERN CWA AREAS
SATURDAY AS THE FRONT WILL BE FAIRLY FAR TO THE WEST. FOR NOW WE
ADJUSTED THE POP GRADIENT TO REFLECT THIS WITH THE HIGHEST POPS FAR
NW AND LOWEST SE.

SUNDAYS PCPN CHANCES COULD BE ONE OF THOSE RIGHT FOR THE WRONG
REASONS EVENTS OCCURRING EITHER BECAUSE THE FRONT WILL BE SLOWER OR
FROM SHORT WAVES PASSING THROUGH THE CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT. FOR THE
REST OF THE EXTENDED THERE IS REDUCED CONFIDENCE AS TO HOW FAR SOUTH
THE FRONT WILL BE ABLE TO GET AND HOW WAVES ALONG THE FRONT OR JUST
SHORT WAVES IN THE CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT WILL AFFECT US. THERE IS ALSO
A BIG TIMING DIFFERENCE ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE CONUS BETWEEN
THE ECMWF AND OTHER MODELS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE NARROWED IN THE
DAYS TO COME. WE DID NOT DIFFER MUCH WITH MOS GUIDANCE BEYOND
SATURDAY AND THE ECMWF LOOKS LIKE IT STILL HAS ITS WARM BIAS OVER
OUR CWA INTACT.

&&

.AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS PARTS OF THE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON, AHEAD OF AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF RAIN THAT IS IN OUR
WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA.  THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
LAST THROUGH THE EVENING, AND THE RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
EASTWARD AND REMAIN MOST OF THE NIGHT UNTIL THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH
TOWARD MORNING THE SHOWERS SHOULD THEN TAPER OFF AS WE GO THROUGH
THE DAY TOMORROW. THE VSBYS AND CIGS WILL LIKELY COME DOWN TO MVFR
ONCE THE RAIN BEGINS IN ALL AREAS THIS EVENING AND REMAIN SO THROUGH
MOST OF THE NIGHT. WINDS WILL BE TRICKY THIS EVENING DUE TO THE
FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT IS DRAPED ACROSS THE AREA, AS WELL AS THE
DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY COULD PRODUCE SOME OUTFLOW
BOUNDARIES ACROSS THE AREA. THE BOUNDARY IS SLOWLY MOVING NORTHWARD,
AND AS IT DOES SO, THE WINDS WILL SLOWLY VEER BACK TO MORE OF A
SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP EVERYONE SOUTHEASTERLY
THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING, THEN SOUTHWESTERLY OVERNIGHT. AFTER THE
FRONT PASSES THROUGH TOMORROW, WINDS WILL LIKELY GO WESTERLY.

OUTLOOK...SHOWERS AND TSTMS SHOULD END BY LATE IN THE DAY ON
THURSDAY AND WE SHOULD SEE FAIR CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE MAY
BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AS WE GO INTO THE WEEKEND,
WHICH COULD LOWER CIGS AND VSBYS IF THEY OCCUR.

&&

.MARINE...
EVEN THOUGH THE BUOYS ARE NOT REACHING SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA AT THIS
MOMENT, THE WINDS ARE BEGINNING TO INCREASE AND SHOULD CONTINUE
THROUGH THE EVENING. A GENERAL SOUTHERLY TO SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW
SHOULD REMAIN ACROSS THE WATERS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. SEAS
SHOULD INCREASE TONIGHT, AND LAST THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY, AND
BEGIN TO SLACK THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THEREFORE, WE WILL EXTEND
THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY. AN APPROACHING
FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING SHOWERS AND TSTMS TO THE AREA THROUGH
OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND LAST THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY WITH LOCALLY
GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO
BUILD ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY AND THEN MOVE OFFSHORE THIS WEEKEND,
BEFORE A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA ON SUNDAY. THEREFORE,
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FOR SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.
WINDS AND WAVES MAY INCREASE SLIGHTLY AS THIS FRONT MOVES THROUGH
THE AREA, BUT IT IS HARD TO SAY AT THIS TIME IF THEY WILL REACH
SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA AT THIS POINT OR NOT.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. THE OPERATIONAL NAM GIVES
OUR CWA UP TO 8 INCHES WHILE THE LATEST GFS HAS 1 TO 3 INCHES. AS A
BASINWIDE AVERAGE THE GFS LOOKS GOOD, THE NAM IS JUST TOO SLOW WITH
FRONT AND HAS OVER HALF OF THE PCPN FALLING AS NON-CONVECTIVE. THE
CAN RGEM WHICH IS NEVER SHY ABOUT CONVECTIVE PCPN IS IN THE GFS
CAMP. WITH PWATS APPROACHING 2 INCHES WOULDNT BE SHOCKED TO SEE
SOME 4 TO 6 INCH EVENT TOTAL AMOUNTS, BUT THIS WOULD BE THE
EXCEPTION AND NOT THE WIDESPREAD RULE AS THE NAM IS DEPICTING. GIVEN
THE NEG TILT OF THE TROF AND THE FASTER TIMING OF THE PCPN ENDED, WE
SCALED BACK THE TIME OF THE FFA. ITS CONCEIVABLE THAT MOST OF THE
HEAVY RAIN COULD BE DONE BEFORE MORNING, BUT RUN-OFF PROBLEMS WILL
LIKELY PERSIST INTO THU DAY. THIS AGAIN IS MORE A SMALLER STREAM
THAN MAIN STEM PROBLEM EXPECTED.

&&

.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR PAZ054-055-
     060>062-067>071.
NJ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR NJZ001-007>010-
     012>027.
DE...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR DEZ001>004.
MD...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR MDZ008-012-015-
     019-020.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ450>455.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ431.

&&

SYNOPSIS...GIGI
NEAR TERM...GIGI
SHORT TERM...GIGI
LONG TERM...GIGI
AVIATION...ROBERTSON
MARINE...ROBERTSON
HYDROLOGY...GIGI
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 23, 2:27 PM EST, 33 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
327 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ067>071-
241930-
NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD-
QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-
MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-
CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-
ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN-
SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-
PHILADELPHIA-
327 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 738 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN
DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW
JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW
JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.
   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

PAZ054-055-060>062-241930-
CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-
327 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

ANZ450>455-241930-
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-
327 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 738 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT THURSDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.
   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

ANZ431-241930-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
327 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 738 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DELAWARE BAY WATERS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.
   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

ANZ430-241930-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
327 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 738 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DELAWARE BAY WATERS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, New Castle

When
July 23, 3:00 PM EST to 3:05 PM EST
Where
New Castle County, 0.62 mi SE of Kentmere to Elsmere Jct
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.763, -75.542

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees and wires in northeastern New Castle County from Elsmere northeast into Brandywine Hundred. One downed tree blocked a roadway near U.S. Route 202 in Brandywine Hundred. Some pea size hail also occurred in the area. Power outages affected the Trolley Square section of Wilmington.

Lightning, New Castle

When
July 23, 6:00 PM EST
Where
New Castle County, 1.47 mi NE of North Star
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
39.767, -75.714

A lightning strike caused a house fire in the Tenby Chase Development off of Baltimore Road in Hockessin. When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke billowing from the roof. Two people in the home escaped. It was under control within 20 minutes and the fire was contained to the roof.

Thunderstorm Wind, New Castle

When
July 23, 6:10 PM EST
Where
New Castle County, Deleware City
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.580, -75.600

A severe thunderstorm tore down a few trees in and around Delaware City. Fallen trees damaged two homes. Marble (half inch) size hail was also reported in Bear.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Delaware in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Delaware, July 2008

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: 124816, 128200, 124904.