Sussex County, Delaware
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 10005 · population 237,214 · 936 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,155 records for Sussex County, Delaware from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,032 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (400 records). 1,299 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the July 4, 1999 heat, filed for the forecast zone Inland Sussex, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1965, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on May 29, 2026.
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
- 2,155on 1,032 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 15314 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $152Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2026
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 Sussex County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 400 since 1996. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 400 | 205 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 3 | $3.2M | 3 of 3 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 372 | 229 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 8 | $3.5M | 3 of 3 |
| Winter storms | 261 | 147 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 154 | $7.2M | 3 of 3 |
| Floods | 258 | 149 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 6 | $78M | 2 of 3 |
| Heavy rain | 210 | 66 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 3 |
| Heat | 130 | 81 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 10 | – | 3 of 3 |
| Drought | 105 | 53 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | $36M | 3 of 3 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 85 | 52 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 3 |
| Lightning | 81 | 57 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 5 | $6.1M | 2 of 3 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 80 | 64 | 1996-2024 | 5 | 113 | $146K | 1 of 3 |
| Extreme cold | 51 | 27 | 1996-2015 | 2 | 2 | – | 3 of 3 |
| Hail | 48 | 40 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $433K | 3 of 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 36 | 20 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $17M | 3 of 3 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 24 | 1955-2025 | 1 | 12 | $1.9M | 3 of 3 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 9 | 2000-2006 | 0 | 1 | $7K | 1 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 Sussex County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Sussex County from 1955 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 12 injuries recorded in the county. 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 Sussex County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Sussex County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-01 15:59, as SPC files it | Ellendale | EF3 | 14.3 mi | 1 |
| 1984-05-08 16:05, as SPC files it | BridgevilleCrossed DE, MD | F1 | 18 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Delaware.
Every tornado record filed for Sussex County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-30 | Frankford, Sussex County | EF0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | Woodland, Sussex County | EF1 4.3 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-09-11 | Dagsboro, Sussex County | EF0 0.7 mi x 370 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Dublin Hill, Sussex County | EF3 14.3 mi x 700 yd | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-01 | Milford Airport, Sussex County | EF1 4.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Chestnut Knoll, Sussex County | EF1 1.4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-15 | Harbeson, Sussex County | EF1 6.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-15 | Bethel, Sussex County | EF2 6.2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2017-06-19 | Greenwood, Sussex County | EF0 0.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-27 | Nassau, Sussex County | EF1 0.7 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-08-13 | Dewey Beach, Sussex County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-06-26 | Bridgeville, Sussex County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1993-04-01 | To 1 S Bridgville, Sussex County | F0 4.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1992-08-28 | Sussex County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-15 | Sussex County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-07-15 | Sussex County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-15 | Sussex County | F0 2.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-15 | Sussex County | F1 12.7 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-07-18 | Sussex County | F2 1.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-05-08 | Sussex County | F1 6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 8 | $250K step |
| 1984-05-08 | Sussex County | F1 6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1976-06-30 | Sussex County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-08-04 | Sussex County | F0 0.1 mi x 53 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-03-19 | Sussex County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-24 | Sussex County | F1 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-09-10 | Sussex County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-07-05 | Sussex County | F1 11.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-08-12 | Sussex County | F2 2.7 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Sussex County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2026 lightning ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindDagsboro, Sussex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindDagsboro, Sussex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | LightningPhillips Hill, Sussex County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRedden, Sussex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRedden, Sussex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-10 | Dense FogSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-10 | Dense FogSussex County · forecast zone Delaware Beaches | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindChestnut Knoll, Sussex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDewey Beach, Sussex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown Airport, Sussex County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBethel, Sussex County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLewes, Sussex County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-04 | HeatSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex 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 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-01-28 | Winter WeatherSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex A high pressure ridge that extended from the southeastern United States into Delaware provided the light winds and trapped low level moisture near the ground for black ice to form in Sussex County on the morning of the 28th. The black ice was a contributing factor in a fatal accident that occurred in the Harbeson area ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2007-02-06 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex 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 | – | |
| 2007-02-06 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSussex County · forecast zone Delaware Beaches 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 | – | |
| 2004-12-01 | Strong WindSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex The combination of a rapidly intensifying low pressure system and a strong cold frontal passage produced peak wind gusts of around 50 mph across Delaware during the second half of the morning and throughout most of the afternoon. Winds increased from the southwest preceding the cold front after 9 a.m. EST, but reached ... | 45 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $12K |
| 2023-09-03 | Rip CurrentSussex County · forecast zone Delaware Beaches Broadcast media reports a man went missing while swimming in Rehoboth Beach. Rip currents were the most likely cause of death. The body was found 1 day later. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-04-01 | TornadoDublin Hill, Sussex County The Bridgeville-Ellendale Tornado began around 5:59 PM EDT near the intersection of Polk Road and Dublin Hill Road where a section of a small barn roof was blown off. The tornado continued east-northeast crossing Seashore Highway. Along this section of the damage path, a couple wooden power poles were blown down along ... | EF3 14.3 mi x 700 yd | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-18 | HeatSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex The first back-to-back days with high temperatures of 90 degrees or higher occurred across Delaware on the 17th and 18th. High temperatures were in the lower to mid 90s both days with the hottest weather on the 18th. Afternoon heat index values were in the mid 90s on the 17th and the upper 90s on the 18th. A 56-year ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-11-12 | Coastal FloodSussex County · forecast zone Delaware Beaches | 0 | 0 | $55M | |
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex | 0 | 0 | $36M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2009-11-12 | Coastal FloodSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 1996-01-07 | Coastal FloodSussex County · forecast zone Delaware Beaches | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2003-02-16 | Winter StormSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2010-02-09 | Winter StormSussex County · forecast zone Inland Sussex | 1 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormSussex County · forecast zone Delaware Beaches | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 8, 1984 (tornado, Sussex County); May 8, 1984 (tornado, Sussex 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 Sussex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 42 | 182 | 154 | 22 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 5 | 17 | 18 | 44 | 72 | 92 | 121 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 100 | 117 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 27 | 71 | 99 | 61 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 31 | 27 | 144 | 8 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 45 | 50 | 32 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Sussex County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 256 · Feb 262 · Mar 156 · Apr 115 · May 111 · Jun 177 · Jul 265 · Aug 213 · Sep 237 · Oct 132 · Nov 88 · Dec 143 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sussex County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Sussex County: 14 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and snowstorm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-29 | DR-4916 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4526 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3449 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-16 | DR-4265 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-16 | DR-4090 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3357 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-30 | DR-4037 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-28 | EM-3336 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-03-31 | DR-1896 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2006-07-05 | DR-1654 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3263 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-20 | DR-1494 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-20 | EM-3183 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-02-13 | DR-1205 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, High Winds, and Flooding |
| 1996-01-12 | DR-1082 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1994-03-16 | DR-1017 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-18 | EM-3111 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1993-01-15 | DR-976 | Coastal Storm | Severe Coastal Storm & Flooding |
| 1992-02-06 | DR-933 | Flood | Severe Coastal 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 Sussex County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 258 flood or flash flood records for Sussex County from 1996 to 2026, on 149 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sussex County ranks 107th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-09-05 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $35.7 million on 4,307 claims filed in Sussex County; the most in one year was 1,486 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 5 · 1979: 8 · 1980: 18 · 1981: 8 · 1982: 16 · 1983: 22 · 1984: 59 · 1985: 121 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 4 · 1989: 23 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 107 · 1992: 672 · 1993: 38 · 1994: 104 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 57 · 1997: 12 · 1998: 756 · 1999: 16 · 2000: 10 · 2001: 10 · 2002: 9 · 2003: 46 · 2004: 4 · 2005: 7 · 2006: 42 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 45 · 2009: 124 · 2010: 18 · 2011: 52 · 2012: 1,486 · 2013: 34 · 2014: 8 · 2015: 34 · 2016: 141 · 2017: 10 · 2018: 22 · 2019: 20 · 2020: 17 · 2021: 44 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 22 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 5.
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 Sussex County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sussex County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $119 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | $14M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $727K | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $17M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $35M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.3M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $665K | 33 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $43M | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 5 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sussex 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
- High wind and dust storms in DelawareThe state's high wind and dust records, 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 Sussex CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sussex County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis