Delaware is coping with issues created by the heavy rain and wind sweeping through the state Tuesday into Tuesday night.
Many areas up and down the state have seen between 2-3 inches of rainfall and the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey reported a wind gust of 59 miles an hour at Wilmington Airport Tuesday afternoon.
There is a flood warning in New Castle and Kent Counties. The flood warning is expected to remain in effect in New Castle County until 8 am.
DelDOT reports dozens of roads around the state are closed due to downed trees and power lines.
Emergency management officials urged New Castle County residents to avoid driving after dark Tuesday because of the heavy rain and flood risk. The National Weather Service expected the Delaware Bay at Reedy Point to crest at 9.1 feet, near the record of 9.24 feet set in April 2011 and the Christina River at Coochs Bridge to crest at 13.4 feet – matching the record set in Sept. 2004.
The stormy weather is creating hundreds of power outages statewide. As of 6 am Wednesday, Delmarva Power has over 8,600 customers without power - mostly in New Castle County . That 's down from 22,000 last night. Downstate, the Delaware Electric Cooperative reports less than 500 customers without power, down from nearly 9,600 Tuesday night.
School districts in Kent and Sussex Counties are announcing delayed openings Wednesday in the wake of storm.
Here's the current list of delayed openings:
New Castle County
- Appoquinimink – 2 hours late
- Brandywine School District – Closed
- Christina School District – Closed
- Colonial School District – Closed
- New Castle County Vo-Tech School District - Closed
- Red Clay School District - Closed
Central Delaware
- Milford School District – 90-minute delay
- Caesar Rodney School District – 2 hours late
- Capital School District – 2 hours late
- Smyrna School District – 2 hours late
- Woodbridge School District – 2 hours late
Sussex County
- Delmar School District – Closed
- Seaford School District – Closed
- Sussex Tech School District – Closed
- Cape Henlopen School District – 2 hours late
- Indian River School District – 2 hours late
- Lake Forest School District – 2 hours late
- Laurel School District – 2 hours late
