While parts of Delaware saw light coatings of snow earlier this week, the cold weather is only just beginning.
A “brutal cold snap” is in store for the region on Friday, and a strong Arctic front brings cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to minus 50 or colder across the North tier, according to the National Weather Service.
Delaware has escaped the territory of the wind chill warning and advisory, which will primarily affect northern portions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and beyond, but colder temperatures will creep in this weekend.
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The coldest wind chills are expected to hit the state Friday night into Saturday morning. New Castle is forecast to have a minus 1-degree wind chill, with Kent County trailing at a 2-degree wind chill and Sussex County following with a 6-degree wind chill.
New Castle County
New Castle County will be mostly sunny on Friday as temperatures fall to around 23 degrees by 5 p.m. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph will be present along with gusts as high as 35 mph. By nightfall, the low will be around 13 degrees and wind chill values could reach as low as zero, with northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 29 degrees and west winds around 10 mph in the afternoon. Night will be partly cloudy with a low around 21 degrees.
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Partly sunny skies will start off Sunday, along with a high of 47, before mostly cloudy skies make way for a 33-degree Sunday night.
Mostly sunny skies and a high near 50 are expected on Monday morning.
Kent County
Kent County will be mostly sunny on Friday morning as temperatures fall to about 25 degrees by 5 p.m. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph will be present along with gusts as high as 30 mph. Friday night will have clear skies and a low around 13 degrees. Wind will range from 10 to 15 mph, with wind gusts as high as 30 mph.
Saturday will be sunny with a high near 31 degrees. Northwest winds will remain around 10 mph. By nightfall, skies will be partly cloudy with a low around 23 degrees.
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Sunday will have partly sunny skies and be breezy with a high near 49. Sunday night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 34 degrees.
Next week will offer more welcoming temperatures, as Monday will begin mostly sunny with a high near 51.
Sussex County
Friday in Sussex County will be mostly sunny with temperatures falling to around 27 degrees by 5 p.m. Northwest winds will range from 15 to 20 mph and gusts will reach up to 35 mph. Friday night will be mostly clear with a low around 13 degrees. Winds will be 10 to 15 mph with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Saturday will be sunny with a high near 32 degrees. Northwest winds will hover around 10 mph. Nightfall will bring partly cloudy skies and be 21 degrees.
Sunday will be partly sunny and breezy with a high near 50 degrees. Sunday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 34 degrees.
Monday will be mostly sunny as the day leads with a high near 53 degrees.