Gear up for temperature drops, chance of rain this weekend in Delaware as cold front comes

Krys'tal Griffin, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Delaware’s streak of warm days will cool off this weekend as temperatures fall.

Throughout the week, local temperatures have hovered near the high 60s with plenty of sunshine. Now, temperatures are forecast to drop as a cold front moves in, according to the National Weather Service.

What is the weather in Delaware this weekend?

A University of Delaware student enjoys a walk on a sunny and warm winter day in Newark, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.
A University of Delaware student enjoys a walk on a sunny and warm winter day in Newark, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.

Delawareans can expect a mostly sunny Friday and a high around 50 degrees, with winds between 5 mph and 10 mph.

By nightfall, a 30% chance of rain is expected between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 51 degrees. Winds around 5 mph will calm down after midnight.

Saturday begins with a high of 56 and mostly cloudy skies through mid-morning that will gradually clear. The day will be breezy with winds between 10 mph and 20 mph present, and gusts as high as 20 mph.

Michael Luyben came prepared for the rain on his customary walk and hangs on to his hat against the winds brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia at the Jack A. Markell Trail in Wilmington, Saturday, September 23, 2023. Wilmington saw intermittent winds, rain and drizzle.
Michael Luyben came prepared for the rain on his customary walk and hangs on to his hat against the winds brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia at the Jack A. Markell Trail in Wilmington, Saturday, September 23, 2023. Wilmington saw intermittent winds, rain and drizzle.

Saturday night will see a low of around 35 degrees with clear skies and winds between 10 mph and 15 mph.

Sunday is forecast to be sunny with a high near 55 degrees. Winds between 10 mph and 15 mph will be present. By nightfall, skies will be mostly clear with a low of around 34 degrees.

The work week starts off sunny with a high near 49 on Monday.

Local weather advisories

A pedestrian bundles up while walking along Lancaster Pike during a Wednesday morning nor'easter in March 2018.
A pedestrian bundles up while walking along Lancaster Pike during a Wednesday morning nor'easter in March 2018.

Although gale-force winds were forecast for Atlantic coastal waters adjacent to Sussex County earlier this week, those concerns have mostly dissipated moving into the weekend.

Delaware and its adjacent waters are not included in the National Weather Service’s gale warning for the region that was posted early Friday morning.

In a small craft advisory issued by the weather service early on Friday, Delaware Bay waters north of East Point, New Jersey, to Slaughter Beach and Delaware Bay waters south of East Point, New Jersey, to Slaughter Beach are forecast to see northwest winds between 10 knots and 20 knots, with gusts up to 30 knots and choppy waters, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

People visit Johnnie Walker beach in Lewes on the Delaware Bay to gauge the effects of tropical storm Ophelia Saturday afternoon, Sept. 23, 2023.
People visit Johnnie Walker beach in Lewes on the Delaware Bay to gauge the effects of tropical storm Ophelia Saturday afternoon, Sept. 23, 2023.

The National Weather Service notes that these conditions will be hazardous to small craft, adding that a few gale-force wind gusts are possible Saturday morning as a cold front moves offshore.

Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in these hazardous conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.  

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Temperatures drop, slight rain expected in Delaware due to cold front