The record
Everything the slot carries, as measured. Series arrays are drawn above and listed here in full.
| event_type | Heavy Rain |
|---|---|
| ncei_event_id | 5,630,754 |
| episode_id | 2,072,956 |
| begin_utc | 1998-01-28T06:00:00+00:00 |
| end_utc | 1998-01-29T00:00:00+00:00 |
| state | DELAWARE |
| cz_type | C |
| cz_name | KENT |
| deaths_direct | 0 |
| deaths_indirect | 0 |
| injuries_direct | 0 |
| injuries_indirect | 0 |
| episode_narrative | An intense northeaster pounded Kent and Sussex Counties with tidal flooding, beach erosion, strong winds and heavy rain on the 28th. Conditions were progressively worse closer to the coast in Kent and Sussex Counties. Severe coastal flooding was reported in Sussex County. The high tide the morning of the 28th at Lewes was 9.0 feet (4.3 feet above normal) above mean lower low water. This came within half a foot of the all-time record tide of 9.5 feet above mean lower low water set during the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962. Wind gusts exceeded hurricane force, in the low 80s around Indian River Inlet and reached 70 mph at the Pilot Tower. Service was suspended on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry after wind gusts reached 65 mph. Eight to ten foot seas were reported within the breakwater on Delaware Bay. Rainfall totals averaged between 2 and 4.5 inches. Unfortunately the damaging winds, high tide and heavy rain all occurred nearly simultaneously the morning of the 28th and this exacerbated the damage that was caused. About 10,000 homes and businesses lost power, most were in Sussex County. No serious injuries were reported. Damage estimates were around 1.3 million dollars.The low pressure system (Northeaster) was in the Gulf Coast States the morning of the 26th and moved to near Savannah, Georgia the morning of the 27th. The low intensified as it moved very slowly north along the Atlantic Coast during the day and the night of the 27th. At 7 a.m. EST on the 28th, the northeaster was located near Virginia Beach, Virginia and then moved eastnortheast during the day. By the next morning, it was about 450 miles east of the southern New Jersey coast.The worst damage occurred between 7 a.m. EST and 1 p.m. EST on the 28th in the southern part of the state as the heavy rain, strong and sometimes damaging winds coincided with the high tide. While heavy rain and strong winds persisted into the afternoon, the rain was lighter by the evening high tide and the winds were starting to shift to the north. Mainly minor tidal flooding occurred during the evening high tide on the 28th and the morning high tide on the 29th. The highest wind gusts included 82 mph at Indian River Inlet, 70 mph at the Pilot Tower, 65 mph in Delaware Bay and 52 mph in Georgetown. Storm rainfall totals included 4.59 inches at the Georgetown Airport, 3.85 inches in Lewes, 3.32 inches in Bridgeville and 2.04 inches in Dover.Sussex County suffered the worst damage and some of the worst tidal flooding occurred on the Delaware Bay side in Broadkill Beach, Lewes and Primehook Beach. The bay went into the foundation of homes in Broadkill Beach as six foot waves crashed ashore. Flooding was described as "deep" and "unheard of" in Lewes as flooding reached Bay Avenue and Cedar Street. Several streets were barricaded because of the flooding and numerous cars were damaged. Along Coastal Sussex County most of the dune protection was lost from Dewey Beach to Fenwick Island. Large stretches of Delaware State Route 1 between Rehoboth Beach and Fenwick Island were closed. Waves breached the dunes in several places along the shore, but none were described as major. The boardwalk was damaged at Cape Henlopen State Park. Trees were flattened in North Shores. In Henlopen Acres, fifty to sixty trees were uprooted and their limbs punched holes into homes. The damaging winds also ripped shingles from the roofs of several homes between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. EST. In Rehoboth Beach, the beach erosion was so severe that it swept away sand from the WEST side of the Boardwalk, exposed the shipwreck of the S.S. Thomas Tracey and the city's first jetty built in the 1920s. The handicap ramp on Maryland Avenue was washed away. The surf broke through the seawall on Virginia Avenue. In addition, the hurricane force wind gusts ripped off roofing, pieces of the boardwalk and knocked down trees (One landed on the roof of the Rehoboth Yacht and Country Club.). In Dewey Beach, the ocean broke through the dunes in two locations. There was also bayside flooding on the western side of the town. About 100 feet of beach was eroded from in front of McKinley Street. It was estimated that only 30 to 40 percent of the dune protection was left. The strong winds tore shingles from roofs. In South Bethany, every street east of Delaware State Route 1 was closed for several days because of flooding and debris left on the road. The asphalt on large parts of Ocean Drive were torn away. Homes along the shore lost decks and stairs. Damage was not limited to the shore. Strong winds knocked down trees inland in Millsboro and Indian River Inlet. The wind and heavy rain also caused damage to poultry homes. About 10,000 homes and businesses lost power, mainly between 9 a.m. EST and 130 p.m. EST. Hardest hit were the municipalities of Rehoboth Beach (1,900), Clarksville, Dagsboro, Dewey Beach, Fenwick Island, Frankford, Laurel, Long Neck and Millsboro. Tidal flooding extended so far inland that the Indian River flooded Millsboro's Cupola Park. The combination of tidal flooding and heavy rain forced the closure of about 10 major roadways within Sussex County, two (Sussex County Roads 82 and 360) were still closed the next morning (the 29th).In Kent County, all the roadways in beach areas were covered with water during the morning high tide on the 28th. About ten roads were closed due to tidal flooding near the bay. Several roads had to be closed due to flooding from the heavy rain inland. Three roads were still closed through the morning high tide on the 29th. Hardest hit were the townships of Bowers along the shore and Frederica inland. About 500 homes and businesses in Clayton lost power because of the strong winds. |
| year | 1,998 |
Provenance
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Storage: spine