New Castle County, Delaware
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 10003 · population 570,089 · 426 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,569 records for New Castle County, Delaware from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,043 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (444 records). The deadliest single record is the February 25, 2007 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone New Castle, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 12 injuries. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1965, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Hurricane Ida” on October 24, 2021.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,569on 1,043 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 19349 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $100Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 2021
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit New Castle County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 444 since 1960. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Delaware's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 444 | 229 | 1960-2026 | 2 | 10 | $2.6M | 1 of 3 |
| Floods | 278 | 205 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 6 | $48M | 1 of 3 |
| Winter storms | 213 | 209 | 1996-2026 | 6 | 251 | $8.1M | 1 of 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | 164 | 162 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 2 | $18M | 1 of 3 |
| Heat | 95 | 95 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 62 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Hail | 73 | 48 | 1970-2023 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 1 of 3 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 55 | 53 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Drought | 49 | 49 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 1 of 3 |
| Lightning | 49 | 40 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 7 | $2.9M | 1 of 3 |
| Heavy rain | 48 | 37 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 1 | – | 2 of 3 |
| Extreme cold | 31 | 31 | 1996-2022 | 2 | 1 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 26 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 8 | $19M | 1 of 3 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 25 | 25 | 2007-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 13 | 11 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 2002-2013 | 0 | 1 | – | 2 of 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has New Castle County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in New Castle County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries recorded in the county. That is 1st of 3 Delaware counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 28 tornadoes whose track touched New Castle County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-04-28 15:45, as SPC files it | New Castle | F3 | 0.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Delaware.
Every tornado record filed for New Castle County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-08 | Stanton, New Castle County | EF1 1.13 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-09 | Mc Donough, New Castle County | EF1 1.19 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-07 | Ashland, New Castle County | EF1 4.17 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Walker, New Castle County | EF2 20.89 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-09 | Garfield Park, New Castle County | EF0 0.52 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $249K |
| 2013-06-10 | Cooch, New Castle County | EF0 0.87 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-28 | Wilmington Airport, New Castle County | F2 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 1995-05-25 | Glasgow, New Castle County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-09-27 | Summit Bridge, New Castle County | F1 7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1993-09-27 | Mount Pleasant, New Castle County | F2 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $112K |
| 1990-10-18 | New Castle County | F2 1 mi x 430 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1989-11-16 | New Castle County | F1 1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1989-06-09 | New Castle County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1988-07-21 | New Castle County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-06-07 | New Castle County | F1 13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1979-09-05 | New Castle County | F2 2.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1979-08-10 | New Castle County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-08-10 | New Castle County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1976-03-21 | New Castle County | 0 | 1 | $250K step | |
| 1975-07-14 | New Castle County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-06-28 | New Castle County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-10-18 | New Castle County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1967-10-18 | New Castle County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-08-27 | New Castle County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-07-21 | New Castle County | F1 1.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-28 | New Castle County | F3 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-14 | New Castle County | F0 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-07-01 | New Castle County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in New Castle County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 flash flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodGlasgow, New Castle County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-11 | Excessive HeatNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHarnous Corner, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindMonroe Park, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGwinhurst, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWilmington, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWilmington, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindChalfonte, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCenterville, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBrookside, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHockessin, New Castle County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindOdessa, New Castle County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-02-25 | Winter StormNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle A winter storm that featured mixed precipitation affected Delaware on the 25th. Snowfall accumulations averaged 2 to 4 inches in Kent and New Castle Counties and less than two inches in Sussex County. Ice accretions averaged a tenth of an inch or less in Kent and Sussex Counties and up to around one quarter of an inch ... | 2 | 12 | – | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave Delaware a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. There were four heat related deaths, two in New Castle County, two in Sussex County. There were also about 10 heat related injuries reported. ... | 2 | 5 | – | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, New Castle County Hurricane Floyd battered Delaware (especially New Castle County) on September 16th and brought with it torrential rains and damaging winds. The hurricane caused widespread flash flooding as storm totals averaged around nine inches, most of which fell in a twelve hour period from the early morning through the afternoon ... | 2 | 1 | $14M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Flash FloodMilford Xrds, New Castle County Hurricane Irene produced heavy flooding rain, widespread tropical storm force wind gusts, a confirmed tornado near Lewes in Sussex County, moderate to severe coastal flooding and beach erosion and caused two flooding related deaths, forced evacuations near the coast over the weekend of August 27th and 28th in ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-01-21 | Winter WeatherNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle A low pressure system that passed south of Delaware during the morning of the 21st brought a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to the state. Snowfall in New Castle County averaged 1 to 3 inches and less than an inch in Kent and Sussex Counties. Ice accretions averaged around one tenth of an inch. Because ... | 1 | 8 | – | |
| 2010-02-09 | Winter StormNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle For the second time within a week a major winter storm, this one with blizzard conditions at times, affected the state of Delaware. Blizzard conditions occurred at times during the afternoon and early evening of the 10th. Accumulations averaged around one foot with the highest amounts in New Castle County. Ice ... | 1 | 4 | $4.1M | |
| 2025-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindSilverbrook, New Castle County A tree was blown down onto a vehicle traveling in the right westbound lane of Lancaster Pike approaching Hedgerow Place in Wilmington. There were two occupants in the vehicle. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2007-02-06 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle An arctic air mass that originated near the North Pole invaded Delaware on the 5th and 6th. The combination of the unseasonably cold air and gusty northwest winds produced wind chill factors as low as zero to 10 degrees below zero during the mornings of the 5th and 6th. The lowest temperatures occurred during the ... | 1 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-15 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, New Castle County | 0 | 1 | $26M | |
| 2003-09-18 | High WindNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15M |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, New Castle County | 2 | 1 | $14M | |
| 2010-02-09 | Winter StormNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle | 1 | 4 | $4.1M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodCoochs Bridge, New Castle County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2012-10-30 | Coastal FloodNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 1996-01-07 | BlizzardNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtNew Castle County · forecast zone New Castle | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 9, 1989 (tornado, New Castle County); June 7, 1988 (tornado, New Castle County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for New Castle County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 6 | 20 | 17 | 36 | 69 | 145 | 151 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 28 | 92 | 107 | 51 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 72 | 90 | 31 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 76 | 62 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 26 | 30 | 26 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 38 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 158 · Feb 164 · Mar 119 · Apr 96 · May 73 · Jun 245 · Jul 227 · Aug 178 · Sep 79 · Oct 55 · Nov 60 · Dec 115 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for New Castle County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include New Castle County: 11 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and snowstorm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-24 | DR-4627 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020-10-02 | DR-4566 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4526 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3449 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-11-16 | DR-4090 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3357 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-08-28 | EM-3336 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-03-31 | DR-1896 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3263 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-11-15 | DR-1572 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding From the Remnants of |
| 2003-09-23 | DR-1495 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Henri |
| 2003-09-20 | DR-1494 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-20 | EM-3183 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-09-21 | DR-1297 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1996-01-12 | DR-1082 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-18 | EM-3111 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-207 | Drought | Water Shortage |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has New Castle County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 278 flood or flash flood records for New Castle County from 1996 to 2026, on 205 days, with 4 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), New Castle County ranks 232nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Henri | 2003-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $51.7 million on 1,575 claims filed in New Castle County; the most in one year was 263 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 24 · 1979: 22 · 1980: 21 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 14 · 1984: 12 · 1985: 12 · 1986: 3 · 1988: 3 · 1989: 91 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 19 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 17 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 18 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 9 · 1999: 217 · 2000: 22 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 263 · 2004: 135 · 2005: 6 · 2006: 20 · 2007: 16 · 2008: 18 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 44 · 2011: 169 · 2012: 65 · 2013: 24 · 2014: 45 · 2015: 6 · 2016: 9 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 11 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 56 · 2021: 106 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 4; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for New Castle County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates New Castle County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $202 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $2.5M | 10 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $150M | 6.6 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $10M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $913K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.0M | 6.3 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $3.7M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $7.1M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $9.2M | once in about 618 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with New Castle County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in DelawareEvery Delaware tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in DelawareThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Delaware recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in New Castle CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download New Castle County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis