It wasn’t the apocalyptic 3 feet of snow set to pummel New England, but the nor’easter still left its mark on Delaware as it blew past on Saturday.
Snowfall began Friday night and continued through Saturday afternoon. As meteorologists predicted, southern Delaware was hit the hardest. Piles of snow trapped houses, cars and businesses alike, forcing many to literally dig themselves out and businesses to close for the day. Beebe Healthcare canceled all outpatient services for Saturday.
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Snowplow drivers with the Delaware Department of Transportation also had their work cut out for them, clearing and re-clearing roads as strong winds blew snow around with limited visibility.
Anticipating the hazardous driving conditions, Gov. John Carney issued a state of emergency with level two driving restrictions in Kent and Sussex counties. The restrictions prohibited nonemergency personnel from using the roads, leaving space for snow plows to operate safely.
It led to some eerie sights Saturday morning, like the snowed-in McDonald’s on a traffic-free Lebanon Road near Dover Air Force Base in Kent County. In Sussex County, residents said it seemed like only the birds dared to venture outside.
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The total snow accumulation in these counties far surpassed New Castle’s, which saw from 2 to 4 inches. Blackbird – the outlier in the bunch – saw the most snow at 4.2 inches, followed by 3.5 inches in Claymont.
In Kent County, Dover saw the most snow accumulated with 8.4 inches. Smyrna saw the least in the area, coming in at 5.4 inches.
Sussex County came out on top – of a snowbank, that is. Stockley recorded the most snow in the state, measuring in at 9.3 inches. It was followed by 9.1 inches in Dagsboro and 9 inches in Bethany Beach.
A live camera shot from Bethany Beach’s oceanfront Saturday morning showed snow-covered dunes and lots of white caps hitting the shore – a striking difference from what so many have come to know and love about the Delaware beaches.
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Snowfall tapered off in the early afternoon, making space for the sun to peek through. But even as the storm ended, the winter weather did not.
The National Weather Service predicted strong winds would continue through the weekend. Saturday afternoon saw the worst of it, with some wind gusts reaching 45 mph and tossing snow off the ground. With these howling winds came a frigid wind chill, which meteorologists predicted will remain below zero statewide until Sunday night.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
