Winter Weather, New Castle
- When
- March 20, 6:30 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
- Where
- New Castle forecast zone
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 39.578, -75.639 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather in Delaware, March 20, 2015
A low pressure system that tracked east of Delaware was able to drop an accumulating snow in New Castle County on the first day of astronomical spring on the 20th. While snow also fell for a while in Kent and northwest Sussex Counties, little if any snow accumulated.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
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.
A low pressure system that tracked east of Delaware was able to drop an accumulating snow in New Castle County on the first day of astronomical spring on the 20th. While snow also fell for a while in Kent and northwest Sussex Counties, little if any snow accumulated. Snowfall in New Castle County averaged 1 to 3 inches. Precipitation fell as rain in southeast Sussex County. In Kent and New Castle Counties, snow began between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. EDT on the 20th. The snow transitioned to rain around Noon EDT in Kent County and during the early to mid afternoon in New Castle County. The rain ended throughout the state during the evening of the 20th.
Representative snowfall (all in New Castle County) included 3.0 inches in Claymont, 2.1 inches in Hockessin, 1.8 inches in Newark, 1.3 inches at the New Castle County Airport and 0.8 inches in Glasgow. The snow was caused by a low pressure system that formed off the South Carolina coast early on the 20th. The low pressure system proceeded to move northeast and at 2 p.m. EDT on the 20th was located near Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The low pressure system was near the Delmarva coastal waters at 8 p.m. EDT on the 20th and from there it proceeded to move east the rest of the evening and overnight. The combination of a favorable storm track and sufficient cold air in place made it possible for snow to fall in Delaware.
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 20, 2:43 AM EST, 3 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 2:43 AM EST, 3 hours 47 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
343 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL STRENGTHEN TO OUR SOUTH TODAY AND MOVE
ALONG THE COAST THEN TO OUR EAST THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT
WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATE SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BUILD TOWARD THE AREA SUNDAY AND MOVE ACROSS THE
AREA MONDAY INTO TUESDAY, BEFORE SHIFTING EASTWARD INTO WEDNESDAY.
AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO MOVE NORTH OF THE AREA
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY, PULLING A FRONTAL SYSTEM ACROSS THE
AREA.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
PRECIPITATION IS STILL ON TRACK TO START MOVING INTO OUR REGION
AROUND DAY BREAK. CURRENTLY MUCH OF DELMARVA AND THE DELAWARE VALLEY
IS IN THE MID 30S. HOWEVER, WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 20S, EXPECT SOME
EVAPORATIONAL COOLING TO OCCUR AS PRECIP STARTS. THUS, STILL THINK
MUCH OF THE REGION, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FAR SOUTHERN DELMARVA WILL
START WITH SNOW.
BY MID DAY, HOWEVER, MUCH OF THE REGION FROM PHILLY SOUTHWARD COULD
BE WARM ENOUGH TO SEE A CHANGE OVER TO RAIN SNOW OR EVEN ALL RAIN.
MAV EVEN HAS A HIGH OF 41 FOR PHILLY. THE MAV IS THE WARM OUTLIER,
AND FORECAST IS A FEW DEGREES LOWER. BUT EVEN STILL, DOUBT THE
SOUTHERN DELAWARE VALLEY WILL SEE ALL SNOW LINGER MUCH INTO THE
AFTERNOON HOURS.
KEPT FORECAST SNOW TOTALS RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST.
THERE REMAINS SOME QUESTION AS TO HOW MUCH WILL ACCUMULATE ON PAVED
SURFACES. HOWEVER, DO EXPECT SOME ACCUMULATION WITH THE HIGHER SNOW
RATES EXPECTED THROUGH LATE MORNING.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SATURDAY/...
PRECIP SHOULD BE MOVING OUT FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. MODELS ARE IN RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT OF THE MID
AND UPPER LEVELS DRYING OUT IN THE LATE EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS, WITH THE SATURATED LAYER ONLY EXTENDING UP TO ABOUT 600 OR
700 MB WITH A CLOUD TOP TEMPERATURE WARMER THAN -10C. MEANING THERE
WOULD BE A LACK OF ICE CRYSTALS IN THE CLOUDS. AS SUCH, IF
PRECIPITATION LINGERS MUCH PAST 03Z, AND THAT IS A BIG IF, PRECIP
COULD CHANGE OVER TO RAIN/FREEZING RAIN. FOR NOW, WILL MENTION IN
THE HWO, BUT WILL NOT CHANGE THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TO COVER
THIS PERIOD AS IT IS UNLIKELY THAT PRECIP WILL LINGER THIS LONG.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY SATURDAY
INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. THERE IS NOT A LOT OF MOISTURE/LIFT
ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT ACROSS OUR AREA AS THE MAIN
MOISTURE/LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT AND SHORT WAVE ALOFT PASS
TO OUR NORTH. HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE ENOUGH COMBINED LIFT AND
MOISTURE FOR SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
AREA LATE IN THE DAY SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY EVENING AS THE
SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE SHORT WAVE MAY CLIP OUR NORTHERN AREAS, SO
WE'LL CONTINUE WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS.
HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO NOSE ITS WAY ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE
WEST ON SUNDAY, THEN CONTINUES TO BUILD FULLY ACROSS THE AREA
MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE DRY WEATHER THROUGH EARLY
NEXT WEEK.
AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO LIFT TOWARD THE GREAT
LAKES REGION TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY, BEFORE LIFTING INTO
NEW ENGLAND WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. A WARM FRONT MAY
LIFT ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY, WHICH COULD BRING SOME SCATTERED
SHOWERS TO THE AREA. HOWEVER, THE MAIN CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION IS
EXPECTED TO BE THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY EVENING AS A COLD FRONT
MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO BE WARM ENOUGH
FOR ALL RAIN WITH THIS SYSTEM.
&&
.AVIATION /07Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG,
KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
VFR CONDITIONS NOW WILL DETERIORATE QUICKLY AROUND OR JUST BEFORE
12Z AS PRECIP BEGINS TO MOVE IN. CEILINGS WILL QUICKLY LOWER TO MVFR
AND THEN LIKELY LOWER TO IFR. THROUGH 18Z, EXPECT MOSTLY SN,
POSSIBLY MODERATE AT TIMES. NEAR 18Z, SOUTHERN TAF SITES INCLUDING
KPHL, KILG, KMIV, AND KACY MAY SEE THE CHANGE OVER FIRST TO -RASN,
THEN TO -RA. KPNE AND KTTN MAY ALSO A SEE A CHANGE OVER TO -RASN BY
MID AFTERNOON. KABE AND KRDG SHOULD STAY MOSTLY SN THROUGH 00Z.
AFTER 00Z, PRECIP SHOULD MOVE OUT FROM SW TO NE. AT THIS TIME, DO
NOT EXPECT PRECIP TO LINGER AT ANY OF THE TAF SITES PAST 03Z.
HOWEVER, IF IT DOES, COULD SEE A BRIEF PERIOD OF -FZRA OR -FZDZ.
CEILINGS WILL BE SLOW TO LIFT AS THE PRECIP MOVES OUT, BUT MAY SITES
MAY RETURN TO MVFR BY 06Z.
OUTLOOK...
SATURDAY-SATURDAY NIGHT...CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO VFR. COLD FRONT
EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT, WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE
NORTH.
SUNDAY-TUESDAY...VFR. GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND 20 KT POSSIBLE
SUNDAY.
&&
.MARINE...
WINDS WILL INCREASE BY MID DAY, WITH SCA CONDITIONS EXPECTED
EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY BY EARLY THIS EVENING.
THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS, WIND GUSTS ON THE ATLANTIC COASTAL
WATERS MAY OCCASIONALLY GUST ABOVE 30KT. HOWEVER, WITH THE STILL
RELATIVELY COOL WATERS, EXPECT GUSTS TO STAY BELOW GALES AT THIS
TIME. SEAS WILL ALSO INCREASE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AND SHOULD
STAY UP INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING EVEN THROUGH WINDS WILL DECREASE
AT THIS TIME.
OUTLOOK...
SATURDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT ON THE OCEAN AS
SEAS REMAIN ELEVATED.
SATURDAY NIGHT...LINGERING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SEAS POSSIBLE
INTO SATURDAY NIGHT ON THE OCEAN. COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE OVERNIGHT.
SUNDAY-TUESDAY...SUB-SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS, WITH
OCCASIONAL GUSTS AROUND 20 KNOTS POSSIBLE.
&&
.CLIMATE...
SNOW ON FRIDAY WHILE SIGNIFICANT IN PORTIONS OF OUR AREA, IS NOT
EXPECTED TO EXCEED RECORD VALUES.
FOR PERSPECTIVE: MARCH 20 DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL VALUES FOLLOW
1958 WAS THE YEAR.
KABE 16.5 - 1958
KACY 5.0 - 1958
KILG 10.3 - 1958
KPHL 9.6 - 1958
LATEST OCCURRENCE OF MEASURABLE SNOW AND AMOUNT DURING THE
2013-2014 WINTER FOLLOWS...
KABE - 4/15/14 0.3"
KACY - 3/16/14 0.3"
(NOTE: LATEST OCCURRENCE ON RECORD IS 4/24/56 0.4")
KPHL - 3/25/14 0.4"
KILG - 3/25/14 0.7"
&&
.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR PAZ054-
055-060>062-070-071-101>106.
NJ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NJZ001-
007>010-012-013-015>020-027.
DE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR DEZ001.
MD...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR MDZ008.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM EDT
SATURDAY FOR ANZ450>452.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM EDT
SATURDAY FOR ANZ453>455.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 2 AM EDT
SATURDAY FOR ANZ431.
&&
SYNOPSIS...ROBERTSON
NEAR TERM...JOHNSON
SHORT TERM...JOHNSON
LONG TERM...ROBERTSON
AVIATION...JOHNSON/ROBERTSON
MARINE...JOHNSON/ROBERTSON
CLIMATE...FRANCK/DRAGHazardous weather outlook, Mar 20, 2:55 AM EST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 355 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2015 DEZ001-MDZ008-NJZ001-007>010-012-013-015>020-027-PAZ054-055-060>062- 070-071-101>106-210800- NEW CASTLE-CECIL-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX- WESTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN- NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE- BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-WESTERN CHESTER- EASTERN CHESTER-WESTERN MONTGOMERY-EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS- LOWER BUCKS- 355 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DEZ002-003-MDZ012-015-019-020-NJZ021>023-210800- KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-CUMBERLAND- ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY- 355 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. LIGHT SNOW MAY OCCUR THIS MORNING BEFORE IT CHANGES TO RAIN BY MIDDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DEZ004-NJZ014-024>026-210800- DELAWARE BEACHES-EASTERN MONMOUTH-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY- COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN- 355 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN DELAWARE...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. LIGHT SNOW MAY OCCUR THIS MORNING BEFORE IT CHANGES TO RAIN BY MIDDAY. NORTHERN COASTAL AREAS MAY STAY SNOW LONGER INTO THE DAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF MINOR TIDAL FLOODING FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ430-431-450>455-210800- 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- 355 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Jersey, March 20, 2015
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, March 20, 2015
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, March 20 to 21, 2015
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, March 20, 2015
- Winter Weather in Virginia, March 20, 2015
- Flash Flood and Flood in Texas, March 20, 2015
- Winter Weather in Maryland, March 20, 2015
- Waterspout in Gulf of Mexico, March 20, 2015
More
Every storm in Delaware in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Delaware, March 2015
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: 565248.