(Smyrna) – Governor Jack Markell declared a Limited State of Emergency in Sussex County, Delaware, as of 12noon, Friday, October 2.  State offices remained open and no driving restrictions were implemented.  Drivers should remain aware of localized road closures caused by high winds and flooding.

In his Limited State of Emergency declaration, Governor Markell noted that state and local officials are taking the necessary steps to prepare for possible evacuations.

Assets of the Delaware National Guard were deployed to Kent and Sussex Counties in support of local efforts.  Residents of flood-prone areas were reminded by Governor Markell to prepare for possible evacuations, though none have been ordered at this time, and to continue monitoring local media and state and local agencies for updates.

The Delaware Emergency Operations Center remains activated with a reduced staff overnight; however additional staff are on standby and can be called in if needed.

A Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect until 6:00 PM, Sunday, October 4.

 

The National Weather Service says that widespread tidal flooding will occur through multiple successive high tide cycles through the weekend.  Tides over the weekend are likely to be near or at the Friday high tide levels.  A building surge into Saturday, combined with 6 to 10 foot breaking waves and periods of moderate or heavy rain will contribute to the tidal inundation flooding.

The next high tide will occur near midnight Friday night.  The Saturday high tide will occur in the early afternoon.  High tide on the back bays occurs later than the high tide on the oceanfront.

More roadway flooding is possible, especially during the daytime high tide cycle through the weekend.  Minor to moderate property damage is possible.  The tides and wave action will probably result in moderate beach erosion.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) says its crews have been working during the past 24 hours to remove debris along roadways, clear storm drains and grates to reduce the potential for flooding, and have placed portable signs in areas where roads are flooded.

DelDOT reports these roads are closed due to flooding:

New Castle County:

Woodland Beach Rd. east of Rt.9

Nonesuch Creek at Airport Rd.

Old State Rd. at Old Corbitt Rd.

Pyles Lane at Pigeon Rd.

Rt. 9 at Fleming Landing Bridge

Rt. 9 between Paddock Rd. and Woodland Beach Rd.

 

Kent County

North Market Street in Frederica

South Bowers Beach Rd. at Webbs Cut-off

Rt. 9 between Paddock Rd. and Woodland Beach Rd.

Port Mahon Rd. at Rt. 9

Rt. 6 between Rt. 9 and Woodland Beach Rd.

 

Sussex County – Rt. 1 southbound is now OPEN between Fred Hudson (Rd.360) and Dewey Beach

Rt. 1 northbound is CLOSED between Fred Hudson (Rd.360) and Dewey Beach

Primehook Rd.

Rt. 16 eastbound from Rt. 1 to BRd.kill Beach

Front St. in Milton

River Rd. between Rd. 297 and Rd. 312A

Longneck Rd.

 

Many roads have water on the roadway, but are passable.  Motorists should use caution.

 

For information on current road closures and restrictions, log onto http://www.deldot.gov/information/travel_advisory/#trafficBox2

 

Motorists should remember that conditions may change quickly and other roadways could flood or contain water.  Use caution on all roadways and watch for standing water.

 

The speed limit on I-495 has been lowered to 55 MPH.

DART First State buses operated on normal schedules statewide Friday.  Riders should check the DART website for weekend operation notices.

No large areas of power outages have been reported.

Officials from NASCAR and Dover International Speedway cancelled Friday activities at the track.  NASCAR fans who are wondering about the status of the remainder of the weekend events should log onto http://www.doverspeedway.com/news_content/friday-oct-2-events-at-dover-international-speedway-postponed/.

Governor Jack Markell has declared a Limited State of Emergency in Sussex County, Delaware, effective immediately.  State offices will remain open and no driving restrictions have been implemented.  Drivers should be aware of localized road closures caused by high winds flooding.

In his Limited State of Emergency declaration, Governor Markell noted that state and local officials are taking the necessary steps to prepare for possible evacuations and road closures, though none have been ordered at this time.

Assets of the Delaware National Guard have been deployed to Kent and Sussex Counties to act in support of local efforts.  Governor Markell also reminded residents of flood-prone areas to prepare for possible evacuation and to continue to monitor local media and messages from state and local agencies for updates.

The Delaware Emergency Operations Center is activated with a reduced staff, today, Friday, October 26, 2015; however additional staff are on standby and can be called in if needed.  A Coastal Flood Warning will be in effect from 11:00 PM this evening to 7:00 AM Tuesday (October 6).

The National Weather Service says a high impact weather pattern is affecting our region today into Saturday.  The main threats are major coastal flooding with heavy surf and beach erosion, as well as very strong winds along Atlantic coastal areas.

Moderate to major coastal flooding is expected today and tomorrow along the Atlantic coast, as well as along the lower Delaware Bay.  In addition, moderate coastal flooding is expected on the upper Delaware Bay.  Problems caused by coastal flooding are likely to continue into Sunday, but the threat of coastal flooding from Hurricane Joaquin has been greatly reduced by new forecast tracks that show the storm will move further out to sea.

High winds are accompanying our current storm, and winds along the coast tomorrow could gust up to 40-50 MPH.  This will impact coastal areas, and moderate flooding is anticipated around the time of tonight’s high tide.

The strong northeast winds are expected to continue into at least Saturday, with wind gusts of 25 to 40 mph likely over inland locations, and wind gusts of 45+ mph possible in coastal areas.  Additional rainfall of only one half inch to 2 inches is expected.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) says its crews have been working during the past 24 hours to remove debris along roadways, clear storm drains and grates to reduce the potential for flooding, and have placed portable signs in areas where roads are flooded.

DelDOT reports these roads are closed due to flooding:

Sussex County

Primehook Road closed in Milton

River Road closed in Oak Orchard

Front Street closed in Milford

Nanticoke Road – Water on roadway

Turn Point Road – Water on roadway

Inlet Road – Water on roadway

Mercer Avenue in Oak Orchard – Water on roadway

Kent County

Old Cemetery Road near Route 1 -Water on roadway

Old Cemetery Road and Tubmill Pond Road – Water on roadway

Tubmill Pond Road – Water on roadway.

Market Street in Frederica – Water on roadway

Skeeter Neck Road – Water on roadway

Williamsville Road between Holly Hill Road and Blairs Pond Road – Water on roadway

Prospect Church Road, south of Route 14 – Water on roadway

Deep Grass Lane between Thistlewood Road and Williamsville Road – Water on roadway

Hills Market Road between Route 13 and Sugar Stick Road – Water on roadway

Andrewsville Road between Gallo Road and Prospect Church Road – Water on roadway

Allabands Mill Road between Todds Mill Road and Camden-Wyoming Avenue – Water on

roadway

Killens Pond Road, just north of Bloomfield Road – Water on roadway

South Bowers Beach Road at Webbs Cut-off – Water on roadway

Todds Chapel Road between Hickman Road and Fishers Bridge Road – Water on roadway

Hazlettville Road between Wyoming Mill Road and Artis Drive – Water on roadway

Big Stone Beach Road between New Wharf Road and Greenhouse Road – Water on roadway

New Wharf Road between Big Stone Road and Route 1 – Water on roadway

Deep Grass Lane between Williamsville Road and Rod Club Road – Water on roadway

Barkers Landing Road, just east of South State Street – Water on roadway

Cypress Branch Road, just north of Ponderosa Drive – Water on roadway

John Hurd Road between Spectrum Farms Road and Meredith Road – Water on roadway

 

DelDOT is also monitoring conditions along coastal highways such as Route 1 between Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach, and the Charles W. Cullen Bridge over the Indian River Inlet, and may close portions if necessary.

The speed limit on I-495 has been lowered to 55 MPH.

DART First State buses are on normal schedules statewide.

No large areas of power outages have been reported.

Officials from NASCAR and Dover International Speedway say that Friday activities at the track have been cancelled.  A number of high school football, field hockey, and soccer games have been postponed.  Fans should contact individual schools to determine the status of their games.

For information on school closures, log on to http://schoolclosings.delaware.gov/.

Smyrna – The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) is monitoring Hurricane Joaquin, and is in communication with its partners at the National Weather Service, and the National Hurricane Center.

The forecast track for Joaquin is uncertain at this time, but it is reasonably sure that the tropical system will have an impact of some kind on Delaware over the weekend.  It is too early to tell exactly what that impact will be.

Here is the latest from the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, NJ…

“A dangerous weather pattern is developing for our region. Threats include very heavy rainfall, inland river flooding, as well as major coastal flooding with heavy surf and beach erosion. These impacts will be felt this week from a storm system affecting the region. There is now also the potential for major impacts from Hurricane Joaquin affecting the region this weekend into early next week.”

“Many locations saw one to two inches from last night’s rainfall. Additional rainfall amounts over the next seven days of 4 to 10 inches are possible for the region, with some locations seeing locally higher amounts.”

“Additional rainfall amounts of 4 to 10 inches will result in a greatly increased threat of flash flooding as well as inland river flooding. If we get the higher rainfall amounts, some of the flooding will be severe.”

“Starting Thursday, winds will become northeast and intensify. Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph are possible over inland locations. Wind gusts of 45+ mph are possible in coastal areas. If Hurricane Joaquin directly affects the region, hurricane force winds are possible.”

“Moderate coastal flooding is possible on Thursday. Moderate to major coastal flooding is now possible on Friday with the strong northeast winds. This is in advance of any impacts from Hurricane Joaquin. If Hurricane Joaquin directly affects the region, major to record coastal flooding is possible.”

“Heavy rainfall will impact the region again Thursday night into Friday, along with the risk of inland river flooding and major coastal flooding. The most likely timeframe for impacts from Hurricane Joaquin affecting the region is Sunday into Monday.

Never…never ever drive into flooded roadways. Take action now to mitigate the effects of flooding…check storm drains and sewer grates along curbs near your property to assure that they are clear of leaves debris that could cause backups and flooding.

While it is not raining, check rain gutters and spouts on your home to make sure they are cleared of leaves and small branches.

High winds are also on the way so make sure that loose items in the yard are secured.

Check and update your Home Emergency Kit. It’s a good idea to have a radio capable of receiving NOAA forecasts.

For tips on how to prepare, log on to ready.gov.

DEMA will send updates as they become available.

Wilmington – State officials are continuing to monitor weather conditions as a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 3 p.m. tomorrow.  While all of Delaware is expected to get some snow this evening and into tomorrow, the National Weather Service is advising there is a sharp cutoff in total expected snowfall between areas getting only a few inches or those getting around a foot.  Currently, state offices plan to open tomorrow, but that may change based on conditions in the early morning. Notice of the status of state offices will be posted by 5:30 a.m. Citizens and employees should check to see which offices are open in the morning. DelDOT continues to plow and salt roads as necessary, but drivers should exercise caution on the icy roads and allow plenty of room between vehicles.  Visibility may be diminished by falling and blowing snow.

(Smyrna) – A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 3pm tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27.

The National Weather Service forecast is for up to 8-10 inches of snow in far northern New Castle County, 6-8 inches in southern New Castle County (south of Wilmington), 6-8 inches in northern Kent County with 2-4 inches in southern Kent County, and 2-3 inches in northern Sussex County.  Sussex County has experienced rain through most of the afternoon and the National Weather Service has some concerns about flooding in low lying areas of the county.

High winds will accompany this storm, and winds along the coast tomorrow could gust 40-50 MPH.  A Coastal Flood Warning will be in effect from 11 PM this evening to 7 AM Tuesday. This will impact coastal areas of New Jersey Delaware, including the Delaware Bay. Moderate flooding is anticipated around the time of tonight’s high tide.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) says its crews have been working all day to stay ahead of any snow or ice accumulation on roadways.  Crews in New Castle and Kent Counties are still working, treating roads with salt, while Sussex County crews will be called in if needed.

No large areas of power outages have been reported.

For information on school closures, log on to http://schoolclosings.delaware.gov/.