Blades · Weather, flooding and hazards

Blades, Delaware: weather, flooding and hazards

Weather, climate, flooding and hazards in Blades, Sussex County, Delaware: 18 questions answered from NOAA, the state and other official sources.

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Questions about weather, flooding and hazards in Blades

What is the climate like in Blades, Delaware?

Using NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals from the Georgetown Delaware Coastal Airport station, the nearest of the stations we use, the average January low is 28.6 degrees F and the average July high is 87.7 degrees F. Annual precipitation averages 43.88 inches. The station is not inside Blades, so readings in town can differ a little, especially near the water. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

How much snow does Blades get per year?

The Georgetown airport normals table we use for Blades does not publish snowfall. The nearest station we fetched with a 1991 to 2020 snowfall normal is the Salisbury, Maryland (Wicomico Regional Airport) station, at 8.0 inches a year. Treat that as a regional reference, not a measurement for Blades. Source: ncei.noaa.gov, ncei.noaa.gov.

Is Blades in a flood zone?

Part of Blades may sit in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and the answer depends on the address, so we do not give a town-wide yes or no. The USGS elevation at the town's Census center point is about 22 feet. Look up a specific property in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and the DNREC Delaware Flood Planning Tool. Source: msc.fema.gov, floodplanning.dnrec.delaware.gov, epqs.nationalmap.gov.

Is Blades in a hurricane evacuation zone?

Delaware labels hurricane evacuation zones A, B, C and D, and describes them as low-lying areas susceptible to flooding and storm surge. The state page does not list communities by zone, so we cannot say which zone Blades or a given address falls in. Use the Know Your Zone lookup tool or interactive map to check an address. Source: preparede.org, dema.delaware.gov.

What body of water is Blades on?

Blades sits on the Nanticoke River, across the river from Seaford, according to the Delaware Public Archives. The Census Gazetteer lists 0 square miles of water area within town limits. Source: archives.delaware.gov, www2.census.gov.

How big is Blades and how high above sea level is it?

The 2020 Census Gazetteer lists Blades at 0.556 square miles of land and 0 square miles of water. Elevation at the Census center point is about 22 feet above sea level (USGS 3DEP), and ground height varies across town. Source: www2.census.gov, epqs.nationalmap.gov.

Which National Weather Service forecast zone covers Blades?

The National Weather Service (Mount Holly office) places Blades in forecast zone DEZ003, Inland Sussex, Delaware. This was read from the NWS point forecast page for the town's Census center point. Source: forecast.weather.gov.

What flood levels does the Nanticoke River reach near Blades?

The National Weather Service gauge at Bridgeville, upstream of Blades, sets action stage at 8 ft, minor at 9.5 ft, moderate at 10.5 ft and major at 11.5 ft. Its impacts listed are on Rifle Range Road and Bridgeville Branch, not Blades. Source: api.water.noaa.gov.

Were areas along the Nanticoke River told to evacuate for Hurricane Sandy?

Delaware's October 2012 evacuation order covered flood-prone areas near the Nanticoke and Broad Creek Rivers. Blades was not named in the release, so check an address in Know Your Zone. Source: news.delaware.gov, preparede.org.

What is the average annual temperature near Blades?

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for the Georgetown Sussex Co AP station list 57.6 F as the annual mean, with July at 78.6 F and January at 36.9 F. The station is not in Blades. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

How many hot days does the Blades area get?

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Georgetown Sussex Co AP list 30.4 days a year with a high of 90 F or more and 0.5 days at 100 F or more. The station is not in Blades. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

How many freezing nights does the Blades area have each year?

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Georgetown Sussex Co AP list 83.2 days a year with a low of 32 F or colder, peaking at 22.3 days in January. The station is not in Blades. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

How much rain does the Blades area get in a year?

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Georgetown Sussex Co AP list 43.88 inches of precipitation a year, with September wettest at 4.54 inches. The station is not in Blades. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

What is the most common severe weather in Delaware?

The Delaware Climate Office says strong winds from severe thunderstorms are the most common type of severe weather in Delaware. It also says the state averages 2 to 3 reports of large hail each year. Source: climate.udel.edu.

How much warning is given before storm surge from a tropical storm?

The National Weather Service says a storm surge watch is generally issued within 48 hours of possible life-threatening flooding, and a storm surge warning generally within 36 hours. Source: weather.gov.

Where was the April 2023 tornado near Blades?

The National Weather Service rated the April 1, 2023 Bridgeville to Ellendale tornado EF-3 with estimated peak winds of 140 mph and a 14.3 mile path in Sussex County. Blades was not listed among the towns affected. Source: weather.gov.

How much has sea level risen at the nearest long-record tide gauge?

NOAA's Lewes station lists a sea level trend of 1.49 inches per decade for 1919 to 2025. Lewes is on the Delaware Bay coast, not on the Nanticoke River. Source: api.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov.

What sea level rise does Delaware plan for?

The Delaware Geological Survey lists planning scenarios relative to 2000 of 0.72, 1.31 and 1.90 ft by 2050 and 1.71, 3.25 and 5.02 ft by 2100 (low, intermediate, high). Source: dgs.udel.edu.

How these answers are sourced

Every answer on this page cites an official or primary source, such as the town, a state agency, NOAA or the institution itself. Answers SussexCounty.ai could not confirm from a primary source are left out until they can be.