A major winter storm affected the northeastern United States, including the northern mid Atlantic region, during Saturday February 11th and Sunday February 12th. An area of low pressure developed along the Gulf Coast states on Friday February 10th, and began moving to the northeast toward the North Carolina coast during February 11th. The system rapidly intensified as it moved near the New Jersey coast and then toward the New England coast.  Rain developed across central and southern Delaware, around 11 AM EST on Saturday February 11th. Snow overspread the rest of the region around 11 AM EST on Saturday from south to north. The precipitation initially was relatively light with temperatures either at or above freezing. The snow increased in intensity from northeast Maryland, across northern Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and most of New Jersey around Midnight EST on Sunday the 12th. In Delaware, the heaviest snow started around 8 AM EST (on the 12th) from west to east. Even areas that saw rain to start, changed to snow during the mid to late morning hours on Sunday the 12th. The snow gradually ended from southwest to northeast around Noon EST on the 12th. During this strengthening storm, New Castle County experienced intense snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour. These intense snowfall rates mainly occurred during Sunday morning the 12th as the storm really intensified off the Delaware and southeast New Jersey Coasts. During the height of the storm Sunday morning the 12th, thunder and lightning occurred as the snow fell. The presence of this thundersnow just goes to show how energetic this storm became. Also, winds gusted to around 40 mph across the inland areas, with even higher gusts along the coast. The gusty winds, coupled with the falling and accumulated snow, produced near whiteout conditions along with drifting snow across a good portion of the area. The storm moved away from the region Sunday afternoon, allowing the accumulating snow to come to an end. The winter storm caused several problems across the state. The combination of heavy snow and gusty winds during the height of the storm, produced extensive blowing and drifting particularly across the outlying areas. Some 17,589 customers lost power in New Castle County, with several towns losing power in Kent and Sussex Counties (from Harbeson to Georgetown and Bridgeville, to name a few towns) during the height of the storm, again which was due to a combination of heavy snow and gusty winds. Several accidents were reported across the entire state during the 11th and 12th, resulting in some injuries according to the State Police. During the evening of the 11th, Route 1 Northbound in Kent County (½ mile north of the Dover Toll Plaza) was shut down due to a vehicle accident. The Delaware Department of Transportation crews assisted in this accident clean-up. Also in Kent County on the night of the 11th, a vehicle went into a ditch at US Route 13 Southbound at Woodside. Due to the conditions worsening overnight (the 11th), the speed limit was reduced to 45 mph on 495 in New Castle County. During the 12th, the State Police received reports of traffic lights freezing over on Route 13 at 404, 40 and 404A in Sussex County. Also during the morning of the 12th, numerous transformers were blown out and wires were downed west of Route 13 from Smyrna to Wild Quail, along with power outages (all in Kent County), according to the State Police. Trash pick-up in Wilmington (New Castle County) was altered on the 13th and 14th due to the weekend winter storm.The amount of snow that accumulated varied greatly across the state from south to north. New Castle County took the brunt of the snowfall with 15.5 inches falling in Hockessin, 14.4 inches at the New Castle County Airport in Wilmington, and 14.0 inches in Newark. In Kent County the snowfall amounts varied from 10.5 inches in Little Creek, 8.8 inches in Dover, 7.0 inches at the Dover Air Force Base, 5.0 inches in Greenwood and just 0.5 inches in Bridgeville (both in Sussex County).

Winter Storm in INLAND SUSSEX, DELAWARE
From 12-FEB-06 06:00:00 to 12-FEB-06 13:00:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in KENT, DELAWARE
From 12-FEB-06 03:00:00 to 12-FEB-06 13:00:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE
From 12-FEB-06 02:00:00 to 12-FEB-06 13:00:00 (EST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER