Delaware Clobbered by Snowstorm

At 17.7 inches, Storm Brings State of Emergency

BY ANGIE BASIOUNY AND RACHEL KIPP • THE NEWS JOURNAL

It could take days before conditions return to normal after a treacherous storm dumped up to 17.7 inches of snow in Delaware and prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency in two counties.

Ongoing work to plow roadways during the height of the nor’easter was so hampered by fierce winds and fast-falling snow that cleanup efforts today will be more intensive than usual. Residents are still being advised to stay off the roads if they can, or check DelDOT’s traffic cameras online before leaving their driveways.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a slight chance of snow before noon today with a high near 30. Blustery winds will continue through the evening.

“This kind of storm deserves some respect,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “I think this is going to take some time. I don’t have the answer yet about [today] and Monday. It’s going to be totally driven by circumstances on the ground.”

State officials compared the storm to the Presidents Day blizzard in 2003, which brought more than 2 feet of snow to some parts of Delaware and took about four days to clean up.

Rosanne Pack, spokeswoman for the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, rated the storm a 7 on a scale of 10.

“It’s definitely a serious nor’easter,” she said. “We’re treating it as a serious one and it could have serious consequences.”

Markell declared a state of emergency for New Castle and Kent counties about 3 p.m. Saturday, when weather conditions deteriorated. Sussex County was not included because warm coastal winds kept temperatures a little higher than in inland areas.

A state of emergency means residents are strongly advised to stay indoors and take extra care. It also allows the governor to call on additional resources such as the National Guard to help.

In New Castle County, motorists were describing near white-out conditions as they ventured onto I-95 and other major roads that seemed as though a snow blade hadn’t scraped them, despite constant plowing by transportation workers.

In Kent County, drivers who would have been zipping at 60 or 70 mph along stretches of Del. 1 near Milford were content to crawl at 15 mph, going slowly behind orange DelDOT snowplows that were staggered to clear both lanes in one pass.

Dover resident Mike Lovett said the snowdrifts in his yard were as high as 3 feet.

“We’re fortunate that this snow is very light, so it’s easy to shovel,” Lovett said. “It’s definitely a break for the back.”

Sussex County was spared the brunt of the storm. By mid-afternoon, the roads between Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach looked like they barely had a dusting.

Delaware State Police reported 182 crashes, including a jack-knifed tractor-trailer on I-95 near New Castle, and more than 250 disabled vehicles by 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

“I think with the number of crashes that were reported, there were a lot more people on the road then we would have liked to have seen,” state police Sgt. Walter Newton said.

Stranded cars were everywhere.

A sedan straddled the concrete median of Kirkwood Highway in Elsmere after the driver failed to see the raised median in the snow. In Wilmington, a hulking black SUV fishtailed along Second Street as the front tires struggled to get traction on an incline.

And in New Castle, a group of men was trying to help a motorist push his small car out of a snow bank that had collected on the corner of U.S. 13 and Del. 273.

“The roads are still passable for 18- or 19-year-olds,” said Marydel resident Gary French, 73. “They’ve gone out, but you wouldn’t catch me out there. What can I say? It’s horrendous out there.”

French guessed the weekend storm was among the heaviest to hit his home since he moved in 46 years ago. His observation may not have been off the mark.

Caution urged on roads

According to Pack of the emergency management agency, cleanup could be a matter of road-clearing or could become more extensive. As the snow melts, DEMA may get calls about contaminated wells. Or there could be power outages in the following days as snow turns to ice and weighs down trees and utility lines.

As of Saturday night, Delmarva Power had reported only minor scattered outages.

Pack echoed Markell’s call for caution today, especially for drivers. And she also encouraged people to stay off the roads if they don’t need to be out.

“I know we’ve all got a little bit of cabin fever by now, but we want people to use caution still,” she said.

The state of emergency allowed the governor to activate the National Guard. Pack said Guard members were pitching in with their own four-wheel-drive vehicles and snowplows, clearing roads and helping where needed.

Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker also declared a state of emergency in the city to discourage residents from leaving their homes. Under the declaration, vehicles that become inoperable on snow-covered streets may be towed at the owners’ expense and city agencies are authorized to purchase materials needed for the storm without going through the bidding process.

Residents said the city’s narrow streets, where cars parallel park along both sides in some places, had not been plowed and the collected snow was deep. Shoveling was futile as the snow kept falling and the wind kept blowing.

“It’s pretty rough because our street hasn’t been plowed and we can’t get out,” said Margie Bellini, who lives in Trolley Square. Instead, she and her family stayed indoors and decorated their Christmas tree.

Road crews worked overnight to clear major roads. But it may take until Monday or beyond to plow and treat secondary streets, said Jim Westhoff, spokesman for the Delaware Department of Transportation.

The state had 500 people and 460 vehicles at work Saturday. Road crews were told to tell their families not to expect them home until today “but even then is looking optimistic,” Westhoff said.

He said some streets are covered in 10 inches of snow, which will quickly become hard-packed and slick.

“They should do everything twice as slow as they usually do,” he said. “Take twice as far to break for the stop sign, put your blinker on twice as early, go half as fast. People need to take their time even though they might have four-wheel drive and good tires. There are a lot of really nice four-wheel-drive trucks in the ditch right now.”

Weather delights some

The nasty weather didn’t bother everyone.

In Smyrna, Linda Berl said about 14 inches of snow had fallen at her house by Saturday evening.

“I absolutely love it. It’s beautiful,” Berl, 49, said. “I’ve always just loved being stuck in the house for a few days with the snow. It’s just cozy and it’s nice, of course, that Christmas is coming. It’s nice to have a white-looking Christmas.”

Cheri Price braved the roads to pick up medicine for her granddaughter, 2 1/2-year-old Essence, at the Happy Harry’s near Elsmere. She had tackled some other errands earlier in the morning while the snow seemed lighter.

“I actually waited until today to do my grocery shopping because it was going to be less crowded,” Price said.

Markell hunkered down at his home in New Castle County for most of the day, receiving frequent updates from his staff on the weather conditions. He ventured out in the late afternoon, driven by a state trooper, to check on DelDOT workers and state police officers. Behind him, a vehicle carrying state police Superintendent Col. Robert M. Coupe and Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Lewis D. Schiliro followed.

As the caravan was getting off Concord Pike onto I-95, they found a stranded motorist and stopped to help.

“It probably doesn’t happen too often that the governor, the secretary and the colonel all stop at an accident,” Markell said with a laugh.

The governor said he was impressed by the tireless effort from employees working around the clock, and he wanted to thank them.

“This is when people step up and you see what they are made of,” he said. “They are doing a great job.”