A major winter storm will touch down in Delaware Friday night.
Between 12 to 18 inches of snow is expected in New Castle County and the northern half of Kent County. However, accumulation totals taper off substantially from Dover south into Sussex County. The southern coast is expected to receive no more than a couple inches of snow.
National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Franck in Mount Holly, New Jersey explains why the difference between the two parts of the state may be so stark.
“There’s colder air up to the north. Closer to the coast, we’ll have some warmer air
that’s going to help change over the precipitation, as far as the southern part of Delaware [goes], to rain," said Franck.
Snowfall will begin during rush hour on Friday night and will subside Sunday morning.
The National Weather Service projects that widespread moderate to major flooding will likely occur along the southern coast of the state. High tides are expected to occur at 7 a.m. on Saturday and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. Franck says that storm surges could be as much as two to three feet above sea level.
Winds will also be high throughout the state. There is a high wind watch in effect for Sussex County, which could receive gusts as strong as 60 miles per hour. In the northern parts of the state, gusts could blow as much as 50 miles per hour.
