Delaware Storm History: Recent Major Storm Days
By StormAuditor Editorial Team · Published 2026-08-11 · Updated 2026-08-20
Based on public NOAA and National Weather Service records, published under StormAuditor's methodology and data-source standards. Radar-derived hail sizes are estimates unless attributed to a ground report.
Damage-threshold ranges in this article are general guidance synthesized from industry and federal research — IBHS building-performance research, NWS severe criteria, and product standards such as UL 2218 (hail impact resistance) and ASTM D3161/D7158 (shingle wind ratings). Actual performance depends on product rating, age, installation quality, exposure, and impact characteristics — thresholds describe when damage becomes possible, not when it occurs.
Delaware experiences a variety of severe weather events, including thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail. Understanding the precise dates and impacts of these storms is crucial for property owners, contractors, and insurers.
Delaware sits on the East Coast. That puts it in the path of severe weather, from summer thunderstorms to coastal nor'easters. Pinning down Delaware storm days with significant hail or damaging wind is key. Property owners, contractors, and insurance professionals need it for date-of-loss research. StormAuditor gives detailed weather history. We help you see the conditions that may have hit a property on any given day.
What Makes a Major Storm Day in Delaware?
The National Weather Service (NWS) calls a thunderstorm severe if it has any of these:
- hail 1.00 inch (quarter size) or larger,
- wind gusts of 58 mph (50 knots) or more, or
- a tornado.
"Significant severe" goes further: hail 2.00 inches (hen-egg size) or larger, or gusts of 75 mph or more.
For homes, hail 1.00" to 1.25" across is often where asphalt shingles begin to show functional damage. For wind, on aged or poorly fastened asphalt roofs, shingles can lift with gusts of 46–57 mph. Shingle loss is possible from 58 mph, and widespread roof-covering loss is possible from about 74 mph.
Recent Notable Storm Days in Delaware
StormAuditor tracks severe weather across Delaware. We bring data from many sources together into a clear picture. Recent Delaware storm days with notable wind:
- July 5, 2026 — 1 S Odessa (New Castle County) — 64.0 mph thunderstorm wind gust
- May 27, 2026 — 1 N Highland Acres (Kent County) — 50.0 mph thunderstorm wind gust
- June 6, 2026 — 1 NE Midvale (Kent County) — 48.0 mph thunderstorm wind gust
These are reported severe weather impacts. On these days, properties in parts of Delaware may have faced strong wind or damage. Hail reports for Delaware are sparse in our recent data, but hail can and does fall. Want a full list of past hail, wind, and tornado reports? Explore StormAuditor's tools.
How StormAuditor Estimates Past Weather
StormAuditor's estimates come from two published methods:
- Hail: Our SAHE-2 (Storm Auditor Hail Estimate v2) system mainly uses radar MESH (Maximum Estimated Sizes of Hail) data from MRMS swaths. SPC storm reports from people and NWS severe thunderstorm warnings add to it. Together, they estimate the largest hail that likely fell at a location.
- Wind: Our SAWE-2 (Storm Auditor Wind Estimate) uses an advanced objective analysis. It combines ASOS/AWOS station readings, measured NWS Local Storm Reports (LSRs), and background wind fields. The result is a detailed wind estimate that agrees with the stations. Only measured wind values from stations, or LSRs marked as measured, are used. LSRs with estimated gusts are never used as values.
These methods tie StormAuditor's reports to credible data from NOAA, NWS, SPC, IEM, and NCEI. Our goal is reliable Delaware storm data for your research.
How to Research a Date of Loss in Delaware
Need the weather on a certain date at a Delaware address? Use these tools:
- Address Lookup: Our Address Lookup tool builds a property-level weather report with hail, wind, and NWS warnings for your location.
- Date of Loss Research: Our Date of Loss Weather Research workflow walks you through finding severe weather for a time frame and place.
- General Weather History: Our Weather on This Date tool gives an overview of the weather on any past date for a region.
These tools support date-of-loss research for any property in Delaware.
Practical Guidance for Delaware Storm Days
Accurate weather history matters to homeowners, contractors, adjusters, and attorneys. Knowing the conditions on a Delaware storm day helps in three ways:
- damage assessment,
- backing up a claim, and
- planning repairs.
Our estimates cover the weather, not what caused the damage. Always ask qualified inspectors and engineers to assess specific damage.
Limitations
StormAuditor draws on a lot of data, but it has limits:
- Radar hail estimates (MESH) can under-estimate wet hail. They can over-estimate where reflectivity is very high.
- Wind stations are accurate where they stand. But they may miss local microbursts between stations, so peak gusts in small areas can be higher than reported.
- NWS warning areas show a place and time under a warning. A property inside one was under a warning but did not always get the peak conditions.
- StormAuditor gives estimates of weather, not measurements. We do not give legal, insurance, or engineering advice. We never claim to "prove" an event caused damage. We give the weather context for qualified professionals to weigh.
Related StormAuditor Tools
- Hail Explorer: Historical Hail Swaths & Reports
- Wind Explorer: Historical Wind Gusts & Warnings
- Understanding Our Wind Methodology (SAWE-2)
- Understanding Our Hail Methodology (SAHE-2)
- Explore a Sample StormAuditor Report
- Full List of StormAuditor Data Sources
FAQ
When was the last major wind storm in Delaware?
Recent data shows a severe thunderstorm gust of 64.0 mph on July 5, 2026, near Odessa, Delaware. Other days also had significant wind damage reports, pointing to strong straight-line winds.
How do I find storm history for my Delaware address?
Enter your Delaware address in StormAuditor's Address Lookup tool. It builds a detailed report of past hail, wind, and NWS warnings for that location.
What size hail is severe in Delaware?
In Delaware, as everywhere in the U.S., the NWS calls hail 1.00 inch (quarter size) or larger severe. Hail 1.75 inches (golf ball size) and larger often breaks windows and skylights. Even 1.00-inch hail can damage asphalt shingles.
Can StormAuditor tell me if a storm damaged my roof?
StormAuditor gives detailed weather history for your property on a given date, including estimated hail sizes and wind gusts. We do not assess damage. Ask a qualified roof inspector or engineer to find out if your roof was damaged.
What wind speeds usually damage asphalt shingles?
On aged or poorly fastened asphalt roofs, shingles can lift with gusts of 46–57 mph. Shingle loss is possible from 58 mph. Widespread roof-covering loss is possible from about 74 mph.
Does StormAuditor cover all types of storms?
StormAuditor focuses on past severe weather as defined by NWS criteria: hail, wind, and tornadoes. That includes thunderstorm wind gusts, non-thunderstorm wind events, and hail or tornadoes. For details on coverage, see our Data Sources page.