Winter Weather in New Castle, Delaware

A wintry mix of sleet and mainly freezing rain caused numerous accidents during the morning commute on the 10th in the northern half of Delaware before precipitation changed to plain rain later that morning. Delamrva Power and Light reported about 120 of its customers lost power, mainly due to traffic accidents knocking down poles or wires. Most of the power was restored by Noon EST that day. Precipitation in the northern half of the state started briefly as sleet between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m EST and then changed to freezing rain. The freezing rain changed to plain rain around 10 a.m. EST and the rain ended during that afternoon. Ice accumulations averaged around one tenth of an inch.

Motorists were involved in dozens of crashes. The majority were caused by drivers losing control and spinning out or running off roadways because of the ice. But, three of the accidents were roll-overs including one on Interstate 95 in New Castle County. Delaware State Police reported about 45 vehicle accidents in Kent and New Castle Counties: six with minor injuries in New Castle County and three with minor injuries in Kent County. Nine vehicular accidents were reported in Wilmington. In one accident involving multiple injuries, the driver of an empty school bus struck an SUV attempting to make a left hand turn in front of it collided at the intersection of Marsh Road and the Washington Street Extension in Wilmington. Elsewhere in New Castle County, accidents closed Porter and Howell School Roads in Glasgow. Accidents on Blackbird Station Road near Townsend knocked down utility wires. In Kent County, both drivers were injured in a head-on collision on Pearsons Corner Road west of Dover.

The predominately freezing rain wintry mix was caused by the combination of an approaching warm front and the return flow off the Atlantic Ocean from the departing arctic high. Extremely cold weather preceding this event made it easier for the rain to freeze on contact, even in places where air temperatures were slightly above freezing.