EF1 tornado occurred near Marshallton, Delaware, National Weather Service says
MARSHALLTON, Del. (CBS) -- A tornado that touched down in New Castle County, Delaware, Thursday night was an EF1 with a peak wind speed of 95 mph, the National Weather Service said Friday.
The NWS confirmed a tornado occurred Thursday night near Marshallton, Delaware, just west of Wilmington. According to the NWS, it happened around 7:12 p.m., and a tornado warning was issued for New Castle County until 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
An Acme off of Kirkwood Highway was damaged as the storm moved through. The store was closed Friday due to the damage.
The NWS released the results of a survey on the damage Friday. A tree along Old Capitol Trail was snapped at the trunk, and more tree damage was noted near the store.
Trees in the Sherwood Park development were also uprooted. One tree split and landed on several cars in a driveway. Another tree landed on the roof of a home. Across the street from a home, a tarp was seen on the roof.
The size of the tornado's path was about 150 yards wide at its widest point, and its path was just over 1 mile long.
People who were inside the Acme store said the storm moved through quickly. They said they heard the wind come through as part of the roof ripped off.
Tree limbs were scattered across the parking lot, and the cart returns were damaged.
"Looks like some of the roof got torn off," Dan Schofield, an Acme employee, said. "There's definitely some damage inside. A few people were scared here and there, but mostly everyone was in good spirits."
Elsewhere, utility crews were working on downed lines and poles.
New Castle County Police shared on social media that officers are out surveying the damage and responding to calls.
Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police are out responding to calls for service in the area of Delcastle, Sherwood Park, Kingsmill, Hunters Run and Milltown Rd. pic.twitter.com/k49o7eFVMO
— New Castle County Police (@NCCPD_DE) August 9, 2024
Mill Creek Fire Company posted on social media that downed wires were in the area. They're asking folks to stay home as clean-up continues.
"I can't believe how many trees that have fallen down into the streets, it's unbelievable," said Lori Bellflowers, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years.
The NWS said 2.5 to 6 inches of rain have already fallen in the New Castle County area. Numerous vehicles were trapped in the floodwaters, and a trailer park is being evacuated in Red Lion and Kirkwood. The NWS said 2-3 inches of rain are expected to fall per hour, which means flash flooding is already occurring.
In Coatesville, Chester County, flash flooding is also occurring. The NWS said there's significant street flooding in Landenberg, Avondale and the Coatesville area. Like New Castle County, the rain is expected to fall 2 to 3 inches per hour in parts of Chester County, and 2-5 inches of rain has already fallen.
The tornado warning went into effect as the remnants from Debby, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression, moved into the Philadelphia region. The entire region is under a tornado watch until 2 p.m. Friday.
The remnants of Debby will likely make the biggest impact on the Philadelphia region Friday afternoon. The storms will bring heavy rain and a small risk of isolated tornadoes if there is enough rotation in the outer bands of this storm.
After the remnants of Debby move out Friday, the Delaware Valley is set to have a beautiful weekend.