Data Date: December

Snow in Park

December 2013: 4th snowiest in Wilmington since 1948!

Posted on | by Dan Leathers

Three early season snowfall events propelled December 2013 into 4th place on the list of all-time snowiest Decembers for the Wilmington area with 11.9” of snow. This was more than 8.0” above the December normal of 3.5”.

 

A surprise snowfall associated with heavy bands of precipitation moved through the region on Sunday, December 8th, dropping 8.5” of snow at the Wilmington/New Castle County Airport. This was followed by another fast moving system on Tuesday the 10th that dropped another 2.9” of snow in the Wilmington area. Another 0.5” of snow fell on Saturday the 14th before precipitation changed to freezing rain and rain. The second half of the month was snow free except for some trace amounts.

Wilmington’s snowiest December on record occurred in 1966 when 21.5” of snow fell at the Wilmington Airport during the month. 2009 was also a “December to remember” when 19.7” of snow fell in the Wilmington area. The graph of December monthly snowfall totals (Figure 1) shows the variability in early season snowfall since 1948 for the Wilmington/New Castle County Airport.

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Sunrise in Delaware

2012 is Warmest Year on Record for Delaware Since 1895

Posted on | by Dan Leathers
Posted on Sat 02/23/13 , Updated 04/05/13

Statewide Mean Annual Temperature 1895-2012

Figure 1. Delaware statewide mean annual temperature (°F) 1895-2012.

Preliminary data indicates that Delaware saw its warmest year on record during 2012.

The mean annual temperature of 58.8 ° F was 3.9 ° F above the 1895 – 2012 mean temperature, making it the warmest year since records began in 1895.

This year broke the previous record of 58.1 ° F set in 2011.

The six warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990 (Figure 1).

The warm temperatures were accompanied by very dry conditions across the state during the year. The statewide mean precipitation of 34.53” was 10.05” below the 1895-2012 statewide mean, making 2012 the 6th driest year since records began in 1895 (Figure 2).

Conditions in Delaware mirrored those across much of the United States.

The contiguous 48 states had their highest temperature and 15th driest year since 1895 (Figures 3 and 4).

 
Statewide Annual Precipitation 1895-2012

Figure 2. Delaware statewide mean precipitation (inches) 1895-2012.
US temperature anomalies for 2012

Figure 3. Temperature anomalies (°F) across the contiguous United States. Map provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
US temperature anomalies for 2012

Figure 4. Precipitation anomalies (inches) across the contiguous United States. Map provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
 
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Flooding after Hurricane Irene

The 2011 Hurricane Season in Delaware

Posted on | by Dan Leathers

medium_irene-goesvisible.pngThe 2011 hurricane season officially ended on December 1, 2011. The season produced a total of 19 tropical storms. Seven of the 19 storms reached hurricane intensity and three of the seven hurricanes were considered major storms (category 3 or greater).

medium_irenerainfall.png Delaware residents will long remember Hurricane Irene which affected our area from August 27th through the 29th. Twenty-four hour rainfall totals from Irene exceeded nine inches across portions of Kent and Sussex Counties, with totals greater than six inches throughout the State.

Approximately one week later, the mid-Atlantic region was significantly affected by the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee with heavy rain falling across the Susquehanna and Delaware River watersheds from September 6th through the 9th causing some of the worst flooding since Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee had adverse impacts on both the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay ecosystems.

For more information go to:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20111128_endofhurricaneseason_2011.html