Winter Weather — New Castle, Delaware

2015-01-06 · New Castle, Delaware

Wider weather episode

A quick moving Alberta Clipper, dropping southeast from Canada and through the Northern Plains, tracked across the Ohio Valley and into the Mid Atlantic by the morning of the 6th. Light snow developed across northern to central Delaware during the early morning prior to daybreak and spread into southern Delaware during the morning commute, before exiting east and tapering off through the early afternoon. The steadiest snow fell during the morning, and accumulations were mainly around the one to two inch range, from south to north through the state. With temperatures mainly in the 20s and snow to liquid ratios in the 15 to 1 range for most of the area, the snow quickly accumulated during the morning, resulting in numerous traffic accidents across the state and speed limit reductions. Delaware State Police reported about 125 vehicle accidents throughout Sussex, Kent, and New Castle Counties. Six of the accidents resulted in minor injuries in New Castle County, and three accidents resulted in minor injuries in Kent County.

Other impacts as a result of the accumulating snow included schools cancelling after school activities in New Castle County, as well as the closing of some museums and libraries. In addition, a Code Purple was enacted in parts of the state, with heating centers set-up in various communities, as temperatures and wind chill values quickly fell behind the departing clipper system.

Representative snowfall totals included 2.4 inches in North Wilmington (New Castle), 2.0 inches in Claymont and Mount Cuba (New Castle), 1.8 inches in Hockessin, Newark and at the New Castle County Airport (New Castle), 1.5 inches in Camden (Kent), 1.3 inches in Felton (Kent), 1.1 inches in Dover (Kent), 1.0 inches in Milford (Sussex), 0.5 inches in Milton (Sussex) and 0.4 inches in Lewes (Sussex).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 553457. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.