546
NOUS41 KPHI 191942
PNSPHI
DEZ001>004-MDZ012-015-019-020-NJZ016-021-023-024-200745-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
342 PM EDT Sun Jul 19 2026

...NWS Damage Survey for the July 18, 2026 Thunderstorm Wind
Event in Sussex County DE...

A severe line of thunderstorms impacted portions of Sussex County
DE on Saturday, July 18, 2026 with peak estimated gusts up to 75
mph. Scattered areas of wind damage occurred across the county,
but the most significant damage occurred in the southwest portion
of the county in the vicinity of Bethel, Laurel, and Seaford. A
summary of this damage is outlined below, however this does not
include all areas of damage sustained across the entire county.

.Southwest Sussex County DE Thunderstorm Wind Event...

Peak Wind Estimated:    75 mph
Path Length /statute/:  6 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   600 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             July 18, 2026
Start Time:             6:21 PM EDT
Start Location:         3 miles WSW Bethel, Sussex County, DE
Start Lat/Lon:          38.56 / -75.67

End Date:               July 18, 2026
End Time:               6:28 PM EDT
End Location:           3 miles NNW Laurel, Sussex County, DE
End Lat/Lon:            38.60 / -75.58

A severe line of thunderstorms crossed into southwestern Sussex
County near the Nanticoke River and Maryland border approximately
3 miles WSW of Bethel, impacting the Phillips Landing area with
scattered tree damage. The storms continued in an ENE direction,
passing across Broad Creek and surrounding rural areas,
eventually reaching the Cypress Pointe neighborhood and adjacent
homes and properties along Woodland Ferry Road. Several properties
in this area sustained damage to trees, power lines, sheds, and
fences consistent with wind gusts near 60 mph, but no structural
damage was observed or reported in this immediate area.

The line of storms continued ENE from Woodland Ferry Road,
reaching Oneals Road where a barn sustained loss of metal roof
panels. This is where the peak estimated wind gusts of 75 mph was
estimated to have occurred with these storms. There was tree
damage observed in the vicinity of the barn as well. The storms
continued ENE toward the area of Mount Zion Road between Seaford
Road and US Route 13, where the last notable area of tree damage
was observed. No significant wind damage from this portion of the
line of storms was observed to have continued beyond this point.

Notable wind damage to trees reportedly occurred within the town
of Seaford, but this was associated with a different segment of
the severe line of thunderstorms which occurred between
approximately 6:30 PM EDT and 6:35 PM EDT and was consistent with
gusts near 60 mph.

There were no known injuries or fatalities from these storms.

The National Weather Service would like to thank local broadcast
media and Sussex County Emergency Management for their assistance
in providing information for this damage survey.

&&

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$

AKL/Franklin/Staarmann