New Castle County under a flood warning. Residents asked not to drive Tuesday night
New Castle County is under a flood warning until 8 a.m. Wednesday, and residents are being asked to avoid driving Tuesday night as a powerful storm pounds Delaware with heavy rains and tropical storm-speed wind gusts.
The National Weather Service has forecast periods of intense and heavy rain with high winds for Tuesday evening, which could cause small stream, river flooding and coastal flooding – especially in the upper Delaware Bay. The Delaware Bay at Reedy Point is forecasted to crest at 9.1 feet, which is near the record of 9.24 feet that was set on April 16, 2011.
The New Castle County's Office of Emergency Management said no evacuations are planned, but officials expect Delaware City to be "temporarily inaccessible for a period."
The Wilmington, DE airport (KILG) reported a 59 mph wind gust at 5:22 PM. Winds and heavy rain will continue to increase through this evening. Please take this storm seriously! #DEwx
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 9, 2024
The strong winds, which hit 59 mph at Wilmington Airport, have caused power outages throughout the state. Delmarva Power has reported 288 outages in Delaware affecting 12,712 customers as of 6:53 p.m., with the majority of outages in New Castle County. Delaware Electric Cooperative has also reported outages in Kent and Sussex counties, with 2,841 customers affected as of Tuesday night.
Strong winds beginning to increase along the coast early this evening. Winds will peak late this evening wind peak gusts of 60-70 mph possible. https://t.co/V1q8O0paMY
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 9, 2024
How long will the storm last in Delaware?
The heavy rains will continue through Tuesday night and into early Wednesday morning. According to AccuWeather.com, the rain will end around 4 a.m. Wednesday. The high winds will calm down starting at 3 a.m.
The flood warning for New Castle County will last until 8 a.m. Wednesday. The coastal flood warning will expire at 1 a.m. Wednesday. The flood watch for Delaware will last until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
How much rain will Delaware get?
The National Weather Service forecast is calling for Wilmington to receive 2 to 3 inches of rain. Most of the state will receive 1.5 to 2 inches of rain. The far southern portions of the state will receive 1 to 1.5 inches of rain.
Get real-time 24-hour rainfall totals on Delaware Online. At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Hockessin was leading with more than 2 inches of rain.
How to drive in heavy rains
⚠️🌧️ Areas of flooding are expected tonight as widespread heavy rain is forecast. Don’t risk driving into floodwaters. You never know how deep the water is or if the road has been washed away or compromised beneath the water. Turn Around, Don’t Drown! #PAwx #NJwx #DEwx #MDwx pic.twitter.com/3XerfC3QJb
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 9, 2024
While New Castle County Emergency Management is asking people not to drive Tuesday night, if you have to go out, here are some tips from AAA.com.
Don't go out unless it's an emergency.
Avoid cruise control.
Reduce your speed and increase stopping distances.
Avoid flooded areas and don't try to drive through standing water.
Avoid hydroplaning and if you do start to skid, steer the car in the direction you want to go and avoid slamming the brakes.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: New Castle County under flood warning; Delaware hit by powerful storm
