How to safely shovel snow
The Mayo Clinic has some tips for safely shoveling snow.
- Delaware is under a winter weather advisory for the weekend, with snow and bitterly cold conditions expected.
- Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches is possible across the region, with higher amounts of up to 6 inches in New Castle County.
- The snow is expected to begin Saturday night and continue through mid-morning on Sunday.
- Bitterly cold temperatures and low windchills will follow the snow, lasting through early next week.
Gas the snowblowers and get those shovels out because snowfall is headed for Delaware.
Snow is forecast for this weekend with bitterly cold conditions then settling in through early next week.
On Saturday, Dec. 13, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, placed all of Delaware under a winter weather advisory and the Delaware Bay under a gale warning.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia and areas surrounding the city are under a winter storm warning.
Here’s a look at what to expect with the Delaware weather forecast for Saturday, Dec. 13, through Sunday, Dec. 14.
Delaware weather radar
When will it snow?
A period of snow is expected the night of Dec. 13 through mid-morning Dec. 14, according to the National Weather Service.
This may start as some light rain or a rain/snow mix south and east of I-95 before quickly changing to all snow. Snowfall intensity may increase for a time early in the morning on Dec. 14.
About 1 to 5 inches of snow across the region is possible. While the location of where a zone of higher amounts can occur is less certain, the greatest chances for this is mostly across the I-95 corridor, the weather service said.
The snow will begin falling around 11 p.m. in Wilmington while snowfall will begin in the central portion of New Castle County by midnight and the southern part of the county by 1 a.m., according to the NWS.
The northern part of Kent County can expect snow to start falling around 2 a.m. and areas around Dover by 3 a.m.
Snow will begin in the southern part of Kent County and northern portion of Sussex County around 4 a.m.
Most of Sussex County can expect snow at 5 a.m. while the southern part of the county will see snowfall by 6 a.m. Areas around Rehoboth Beach can expect snow by 7 a.m.
How much will it snow?
That will depend where you are in Delaware.
A total of 1 to 5 inches of snow across the whole area. There could be a zone of 5-plus inches near I-95 into southern New Jersey and northern Delmarva, where snowfall rates near 1 inch per hour are also possible, according to the NWS.
Snowfall intensity may increase for a time early Sunday morning, forecasters said.
Most parts of New Castle County can expect up to 4 to 6 inches, while Kent County could see up to 1 to 2 inches in some areas. Sussex County should expect at least an inch, the NWS said.
Delaware snow forecast
Here’s an AccuWeather town-by-town snow forecast for this weekend in Delaware:
New Castle County
- Middletown: 3 to 6 inches
- New Castle: 4 to 6 inches
- Newark: 4 to 6 inches
- Pike Creek: 4 to 6 inches
- Wilmington: 3 to 6 inches
Kent County
- Dover: 2 to 4 inches
- Felton: 2 to 4 inches
- Harrington: 2 to 4 inches
- Milford (In Kent and Sussex counties): 2 to 4 inches
Sussex County
- Georgetown: 1 to 3 inches
- Millsboro: 1 to 3 inches
- Rehoboth Beach: 1 to 3 inches
- Seaford: 1 to 3 inches
Snow impacts
Here are some of the likely impacts of the weekend weather, according to the NWS:
- Snow-covered roads and slippery conditions possible the night of Dec. 13 and the morning of Dec. 14.
- Rain to snow could reduce the snow totals some. In addition, any pre-treating of surfaces would get initially washed away on the night of Dec. 13.
- Hypothermia or frostbite could occur with prolonged exposure and lack of proper clothing. Some impacts to infrastructure are possible the night of Dec. 14 through Dec. 16.
Windchills reach single digits, gale warning
When you’re outside shoveling, make sure to bundle up because it’s going to be bitterly cold Dec. 14 into Dec. 16.
Bitterly cold conditions will arrive Dec. 14 and continuing through early next week with the coldest time frame the night of Dec. 14 through the night of Dec. 15. Air temperatures on Dec. 16 stay below freezing across the region.
By Sunday night, the windchill will make it feel like 6 degrees in Wilmington, 4 degrees in Dover, and 5 degrees in Rehoboth Beach.
Many areas will not get above freezing from Sunday through Tuesday until a warming trend begins Wednesday, Dec. 17.
Peak gusts of 25 to 40 mph will be present Sunday into Sunday night which will result in very low windchill values.
Areas of blowing snow are possible, which may result in roads becoming snow-covered again and reduced visibility at times, according to the NWS.
Wind gusts between 35 to 40 knots are probable on the Delaware Bay and the New Jersey and Delaware Atlantic coastal waters along with hazardous seas. Areas of freezing spray are possible the night of Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.
How do I stay safe in the snow?
It is strongly recommended that you stay at home when it snows.
But if you absolutely need to drive, make sure you bear in mind the following safety tips:
- Drive slowly. Snow and ice can decrease traction on the road, so be sure to reduce your speed.
- Avoid using cruise control.
- Increase following distances from the usual two seconds to roughly five to six seconds, as it’ll take longer for you to come to a stop on snowy roadways.
- Make sure you have at least a half a tank of gas in your car.
- Make sure you have an emergency driving kit in your vehicle. Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.
If there’s a chance you’ll have to shovel your driveway or walkway this weekend, make sure you pay attention to the latest weather forecast, wear appropriate clothing and boots, and drink lots of water.
Make sure you also pace yourself as you’re shoveling. Check if you feel any pain or soreness and have your phone close by in case of an emergency.
What should I do to keep warm?
With winter fast approaching, residents are recommended to take the necessary steps to stay safe as the weather turns cold.
This includes making sure your homes “can be safely heated” and you always have crucial items on hand in case of an emergency, including nonperishable and pet foods, water and medicine.
Delawareans are also encouraged to have a driving kit in their car this winter.
Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.
Olivia Montes contributed to this story.
