An intense nor'easter brought strong to high northeast winds across Delaware on the 6th as well as minor to moderate tidal flooding in central and lower Delaware Bay.  The coastal flooding caused a new breach along Delaware State Route 1 and flooded other roadways. The coastal flooding was exacerbated by wave action as waves at Bethany Beach reached 12 feet. Voluntary evacuations were encouraged for flood prone areas in Kent and Sussex Counties. Peak wind gusts reached around 70 mph and downed trees, tree limbs and wires and caused some structural damage. About 10,000 homes and businesses lost power, hardest hit were Kent and Sussex Counties. Some schools throughout the state were closed on the 6th. At least minor tidal flooding persisted into the morning high tide cycle on the 10th.  This was the greatest and most persistent tidal flooding to affect the Delaware coast since Hurricane Sandy last October.
Minor tidal flooding started with the high tide cycle on the morning of the 6th. Moderate tidal flooding occurred with both the afternoon high tide cycle on the 6th and the morning high tide cycle on the 7th. Minor tidal flooding also occurred with both high tide cycles on the 8th. The highest tide at Breakwater Harbor reached 7.38 feet above mean lower low water. Moderate tidal flooding starts at 7.0 feet above mean lower low water.
The coastal flooding closed approximately 15 roads in Kent and Sussex Counties.  In Sussex County, waves breached a dune north of the Indian River Inlet Bridge and forced the closure of Delaware State Route 1 between Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach as well as the Indian River Inlet Bridge. The roadway remained closed through the 7th. In Bethany Beach, roadways north of Delaware State Route 26 were closed. Northeast of Milton, Prime Hook Road was closed and remained closed through March 13th.  In Lewes (Sussex County), the Canal Bridge, Canry Creek Road and New Road were all flooded. Flooded roadways were also reported in Broadkill Beach, Angola and Oak Orchard (River and Oak Orchard Roads).  In Kent County, roadways were flooded and closed at Big Stone Beach,  Bennett's Park, Pickering Beach, Kitt Hummock, Woodland Beach, South Bowers Beach, Bowers Beach and  Port Mahon Road. Inland flooding affected Delaware State Route 9, Cypress Branch Road and Magnolia Road south of Dover.
Northeast winds intensified as the morning of the 6th continued and reached their peak during the afternoon. As winds slowly backed to the north late that afternoon, wind speeds diminished. The high winds tore shingles from homes in Bear (New Castle County). High winds also damaged a home in Rehoboth Beach (Sussex County). The high winds littered  numerous Kent County roadways with tree debris. The high winds forced the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to cancel four Delaware Bay crossings on the 6th. Normal ferry service resumed on the 7th.
Peak wind gusts included 71 mph in Lewes (Sussex County), 66 mph in Dewey Beach (Sussex County), 64 mph in Odessa (New Castle County), 61 mph in Georgetown (Sussex County), 58 mph in Milton (Sussex County), 55 mph in Bear (New Castle County), 54 mph in Harrington (Kent County), 49 mph in Dover (Kent County) and 48 mph at the New Castle County Airport.
The nor'easter low pressure system emerged from the southern Rockies on the 4th and moved into the Tennessee Valley on the morning of the 5th, passed across the southern Appalachians during the evening of the 5th and reached northeastern North Carolina on the morning of the 6th. From there it slowly moved northeast and was off the Delmarva Peninsula on the afternoon of the 6th. It then drifted slowly offshore to the east that evening and that motion continued on the 7th and 8th. The low pressure system was not that intense overall (never deepened to less than 985 millibars near the coast), but a strong high pressure system that was located over southeastern Canada helped intensify the surface pressure gradient (difference) throughout this event.

High Wind in DELAWARE BEACHES, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 10:00:00 to 06-MAR-13 20:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 62.00 MG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

High Wind in INLAND SUSSEX, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 11:00:00 to 06-MAR-13 19:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

High Wind in KENT, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 11:00:00 to 06-MAR-13 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

High Wind in NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 10:00:00 to 06-MAR-13 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 30.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Coastal Flood in DELAWARE BEACHES, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 14:00:00 to 07-MAR-13 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in INLAND SUSSEX, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 14:00:00 to 07-MAR-13 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in KENT, DELAWARE
From 06-MAR-13 15:00:00 to 07-MAR-13 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON