Tornado touches down in New Castle County, Delaware, NWS confirms
NEW CASTLE, Del. - The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in New Castle County, Delaware, on Thursday, Nov. 12, as severe thunderstorms moved across the region.
What we know:
According to the National Weather Service, an official storm survey team will travel to New Castle County on Friday, Nov. 13, to inspect the damage and determine the tornado's path and width.
Further details, including the exact time and location of the touchdown, the tornado's rating and whether any injuries or structural damage were reported, have not yet been released.
Active alerts in Delaware and the Philadelphia region
The confirmation comes amid widespread severe weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon:
- Tornado Watch: A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 7 p.m. EST for New Castle County, along with eight counties in southeastern Pennsylvania (including Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks) and 11 counties in New Jersey (including Camden, Gloucester and Salem), plus Delaware Bay waters.
- Flash Flood Warning: A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m. EST for northeastern New Castle County—including Wilmington, Arden, Talleyville and Greenville—as well as southwestern Delaware County in Pennsylvania and northwestern Gloucester and Salem counties in New Jersey. Doppler radar indicated 1 to 2 inches of rain had already fallen by mid-afternoon, with rainfall rates of 1.5 to 2.5 inches per hour and an additional 1 to 2 inches possible.
- Severe storms nearby: Separate Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued for parts of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, Camden and Gloucester counties, bringing radar-indicated wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to half-dollar size. Trained weather spotters reported penny-size hail in King of Prussia.
Looking ahead to Friday, Nov. 13, a Small Craft Advisory will take effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST for Delaware Bay and coastal waters from Sandy Hook to Fenwick Island, with northwest winds of 15 to 25 knots and gusts up to 30 knots expected.
The Nor'easters impacts overview. (FOX Weather)
Safety reminders
Forecasters urge residents in warned areas to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and head indoors immediately when thunder is heard, noting frequent cloud-to-ground lightning with the storms.
Drivers are also reminded never to drive around barricades or through flooded roadways, underpasses or low-lying areas.
The Source: This article was written using information from the National Weather Service.