Four days of rain, heaviest on the 13th, culminated with poor drainage, field and some river flooding across Delaware. Four day storm totals averaged around 2 to 3 inches. Periods of rain started during the morning of the 12th and fell at its heaviest during the first half of the day on the 13th. Periods of lighter rain persisted into the 14th and 15th. The state avoided the heaviest rain that fell with the system in New Jersey.
The heavy rain was caused by a slow moving low pressure system that had a tremendous fetch of moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. The low pressure system moved from the South Carolina coast on the morning of the 12th, into Virginia on the morning of the 13th, to Delaware on the morning of the 14th and then drifted slowly east over the next two days as it was captured by an upper level system.

Heavy Rain in KENT, DELAWARE
From 13-MAR-10 01:00:00 to 13-MAR-10 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: BIG OAK CORNER
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Event precipitation totals included 2.91 inches in Felton, 2.59 inches at the Dover Air Force Base and 2.17 inches in Magnolia.

Flood in NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE
From 13-MAR-10 15:11:00 to 13-MAR-10 21:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: COOCHS BRIDGE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

A motorist was stuck in high water on Governor Printz Boulevard just north of Wilmington. The Christina River at Coochs Bridge was above its 10.5 foot flood stage from 311 p.m. EST through 915 p.m. EST on the 13th. It crested at 11.59 feet at 630 p.m. EST. In addition to the river flooding, the onshore wind flow produced minor tidal flooding along the Delaware River and tidal sections of its tributaries at the times of high tide from the morning of the 13th into the evening of the 14th. The highest tides occurred with the morning high tide on the 13th. At Reedy Island, the high tide reached 7.94 feet above mean lower low water. Minor tidal flooding starts at 7.2 feet above mean lower low water. Event precipitation totals included 2.45 inches at the New Castle County Airport.

Flood in SUSSEX, DELAWARE
From 13-MAR-10 09:45:00 to 14-MAR-10 10:22:00 (EST-5)
Location: BRIDGEVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: River/Stream Gage

The heavy rain caused much standing water in yards and fields. Sussex County farmers were estimating that the heavy rain and field flooding would push back their planting schedule by 2 to 3 weeks. The Nanticoke River at Bridgeville was above its 8 foot flood stage from 945 a.m. EST on the 13th through 1122 a.m. EDT on the 14th. It crested at 8.32 feet at 5 a.m. EDT on the 14th. In addition to the river flooding, the onshore wind flow produced minor tidal flooding along Delaware Bay and on the ocean side at the times of high tide from the morning of the 13th into the morning of the 14th. The highest tides occurred with the morning high tide on the 13th. At Breakwater Harbor, the high tide reached 6.88 feet above mean lower low water. Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.0 feet above mean lower low water. Event precipitation totals included 2.95 inches in Lewes, 2.94 inches in Greenwood, 2.69 inches in Delmar and 2.35 inches in Georgetown.