Rehoboth Beach · Weather, flooding and hazards

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: weather, flooding and hazards

Weather, climate, flooding and hazards in Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, Delaware: 21 questions answered from NOAA, the state and other official sources.

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Questions about weather, flooding and hazards in Rehoboth Beach

What is the climate like in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware?

Using NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals from the Lewes station, the nearest of the stations we use, the average January low is 30.2 degrees F and the average July high is 87.7 degrees F. Annual precipitation averages 47.28 inches. The station is not inside Rehoboth Beach, so readings in town can differ a little, especially near the water. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

How much snow does Rehoboth Beach get per year?

The 1991 to 2020 normal for the Lewes station, the nearest station we use, is 10.5 inches of snow a year. Individual winters vary a lot around that average. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

Is Rehoboth Beach in a flood zone?

Part of Rehoboth Beach 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 only about 19 feet, which is low ground. 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 Rehoboth Beach 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 Rehoboth Beach 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 Rehoboth Beach on?

Rehoboth Beach lies on Delaware's southern Atlantic coast, between Delaware Bay and Rehoboth Bay. Lake Gerar, a freshwater lake with a fishing pier, is within the city. Source: history.delaware.gov, rehobothbeachde.gov.

How big is Rehoboth Beach and how high above sea level is it?

The 2020 Census Gazetteer lists Rehoboth Beach at 1.175 square miles of land and 0.469 square miles of water. Elevation at the Census center point is about 19 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 Rehoboth Beach?

The National Weather Service (Mount Holly office) places Rehoboth Beach in forecast zone DEZ004, Delaware Beaches, Delaware. This was read from the NWS point forecast page for the town's Census center point. Source: forecast.weather.gov.

How many days a year reach 90 degrees in Rehoboth Beach?

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Lewes station show an average of 29.2 days a year with a high of 90 degrees F or higher and 0.8 days at 100 degrees F or higher. The station is not inside Rehoboth Beach, so readings in town can differ a little. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

When are the last spring freeze and first fall freeze in Rehoboth Beach?

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Lewes station give a 50 percent probability date of March 29 for the last spring freeze (32 degrees F or lower) and November 14 for the first fall freeze. That works out to a growing season of 231 days at the same probability level. The station is not inside Rehoboth Beach, so readings in town can differ a little. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

How much heating and cooling demand does Rehoboth Beach have in a year?

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Lewes station list 3823.0 heating degree days and 1505.8 cooling degree days a year, which are NOAA's measures of heating and cooling demand. The station is not inside Rehoboth Beach, so readings in town can differ a little. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

Which month is wettest and which is driest in Rehoboth Beach?

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for the Lewes station show July as the wettest month at 4.95 inches and February as the driest at 3.17 inches. The station is not inside Rehoboth Beach, so readings in town can differ a little. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

Which months does it snow in Rehoboth Beach?

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for the Lewes station show snow only from December to March: 1.0 inch in December, 2.0 in January, 6.5 in February and 1.0 in March. Those add up to 10.5 inches a year, and individual winters vary a lot. Source: ncei.noaa.gov.

At what tide level does flooding start in Rehoboth Beach?

The National Weather Service Mount Holly Sussex County tide table, updated May 2016, says flooding begins in Rehoboth Beach along Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk at 6.8 feet above MLLW on the Lewes tide gauge. The table uses the Lewes gauge as the reference gauge for the county. Source: weather.gov.

How does the National Weather Service rate coastal flooding near Rehoboth Beach?

In the National Weather Service Mount Holly Sussex County tide table, updated May 2016, minor tidal flooding begins at 6.0 feet above MLLW on the Lewes gauge and the coastal flood advisory threshold is 6.3 feet. Moderate tidal flooding begins at 7.0 feet and major tidal flooding at 8.0 feet. Source: weather.gov.

What are the highest tides on record at the Lewes gauge that NWS uses for Rehoboth Beach?

The National Weather Service Mount Holly Sussex County tide table, updated May 2016, lists the highest Lewes gauge readings as 9.3 feet above MLLW on January 23, 2016, 9.2 feet on March 6, 1962, 8.8 feet on January 4, 1992 and 8.7 feet on October 29, 2012 during Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy. NOAA's own Lewes datum record also lists its observed maximum on January 23, 2016. Source: weather.gov, api.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov.

How fast is sea level rising near Rehoboth Beach?

NOAA's relative sea level trend for the Lewes tide gauge is 1.49 inches per decade, with an error of 0.05, based on monthly data from February 1919 to December 2025. The National Weather Service uses Lewes as the reference gauge for Sussex County tides. Source: api.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov, weather.gov.

Where do evacuees from Rehoboth Beach go in a hurricane evacuation?

DelDOT's February 2023 Sussex County evacuation annex says evacuees from Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach head north on SR 1 toward Five Points. The annex estimates that evacuating a large population takes over 24 hours, and says at-risk residents should leave at least 24 hours before storm onset and tidal flooding. Source: deldot.gov.

Which past storms brought major tidal flooding to the Delaware coast near Rehoboth Beach?

The National Weather Service Mount Holly Sussex County tide table, updated May 2016, lists 8.0 feet above MLLW, the major flood level, at the Lewes gauge on September 27, 1985 (Hurricane Gloria), March 3, 1994 and August 27, 2011 (Hurricane Irene). Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy reached 8.7 feet on October 29, 2012. Source: weather.gov.

Is Rehoboth Beach part of a StormReady community?

The National Weather Service StormReady page for Delaware lists Sussex County as StormReady, along with Kent and New Castle counties. It does not list Rehoboth Beach separately. Source: weather.gov.

Do tides at the Rehoboth Beach oceanfront run earlier or later than at Lewes?

The National Weather Service says high and low tides on the Sussex County oceanfront occur up to around 1 hour earlier than at the Lewes gauge. High tides on the back bays, such as Rehoboth Bay, occur up to about 2.5 hours later. Source: weather.gov.

How warm is the Atlantic coast around Rehoboth Beach compared with northern Delaware?

The Delaware Climate Office says mean annual temperatures range from 54.0 degrees F in northern New Castle County to 58.1 degrees F along the Atlantic coast of southern Delaware. It says the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay reduce temperature extremes compared with inland locations. Source: climate.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.