Holiday travelers were hit by a surprisingly strong snowstorm in the area as the Delaware Department of Transportation and State Police urged motorists to stay off the roads.
The Delaware Memorial Bridge was closed for a time, due to multiple accidents as the intense storm moved through the area, followed by freezing rain.
A forecast for one to two inches and the quick accumulation left Delaware Department of Transportation crews with an uphill job complicated by equally surprised motorists attempting to get to their destinations. There was a report of 11 inches of snow in Newark, although the Delaware Environmental Observing System posted a figure of less than 7 inches.
Gov. Jack Markell issued the following: “Although motorists understandably want all roads to be clear and passable as quickly as possible, it becomes very difficult to maintain a semblance of normal road conditions whenever the state is hit with rapid accumulations of snow; especially when the snow is heavier than forecasted”
Markell said 134 plows were in operation in new Castle County, the hardest hit area.
Some motorists took to Facebook or Twitter to air their criticism, which was often countered by those defending DelDOT.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J. issued a winter weather warning for the region, after earlier issuing an advisory. The warning was later changed to an advisory.
Due to the weather, Frontier Airlines customers flying from New Castle waived various fees, rules and restrictions, if passengers are traveling Sunday or Monday. Sunday’s one flight from Orlando arrived only slightly behind schedule.
The snow arrived before 11 a.m. in the state and fell steadily, with streets becoming slick as the Delaware Department of Transportation warned about slick conditions and later asked motorists to stay off roads.
The city of Wilmington issued a warning to motorists, saying that conditions were becoming impassable.
Snow was falling at a rate of nearly an inch an hour and could result in significant accumulations and rapidly changing road conditions, the report indicated.
Sunday is a busy shopping day in Delaware. Lines were long at the state’s largest pet supplier, Concord, as its nearly two dozen stores held their annual 30% off sale. Long lines were seen at checkout as pet owners flocked to the stores.
The snow was expected to turn to freezing rain tonight, followed by all rain and temperatures in the 40s on Monday.
