Winter storm 'bomb' bears down on Delaware

Delawareans may have thought winter had passed over the First State, but Winter Storm Stella had other plans.

The storm, predicted to bring up to a foot of snow to parts of northern Delaware, canceled flights, disrupted travel and irked residents Monday who had grown accustomed to balmy February temperatures.

Forecasters even warned of a potential bombogenesis for Stella overnight, an ominous-sounding term frequently used in the winter to describe powerful storms that intensify rapidly, according to The Weather Channel. Meteorologists have said snowfall totals are hard to predict for this storm due to the steep drop-off in precipitation amounts moving outward from the center of the weather mass.

Simply put, the word means a storm that rapidly intensifies as its center moves out over the ocean, such as what this snowstorm is forecast to do, USA Today reported. The storm was expected to weaken as it drew closer to the East Coast and then "transfer" its energy to become a much more potent storm.

Snowfall started just after 8 p.m. Monday in Sussex County as dozens of schools upstate and even the General Assembly announced closures. Gov. John Carney issued a Level 1 driving warning for New Castle County effective at midnight, urging residents not to drive but to exercise extra caution if they do. Carney also authorized the Delaware National Guard to assist local and state officials with any necessary response and recovery.

In Wilmington, dozens of residents rushed to pharmacies and grocery stores to stock up on necessities like water.

At the Market Street Walgreens, Douglas Martin waited in line with a smile on his face and cookie dough ice cream and jelly beans in his hands.

"I'm thrilled and excited," he said. "I come from hurricane country, Mississipi ... Part of my bucket list — and I'm 57 — is to see some real snow."

Martin said he bought his necessities on Sunday but came out again for the supplementary essentials. "I don't want to be trapped inside without sweets," he said.

Cheri Stow, a 55-year-old Wilmington resident originally from New Jersey, said she tends to stay inside when snow sprinkles the ground in the First State.

"When they get an inch of snow, they panic," the Walgreens customers said of Delawareans. "They seem like they don't know how to handle it."

At ShopRite in Southbridge, Khaliylah Stigars waited in a "ridiculous" line that "went all the way to the back of the store." But tomorrow, the lab technician has no worries.

"I'm going to Netflix it up," she said.

The worst of the snow is expected to hit just in time for the Tuesday morning commute. That's when the majority of the predicted 8 to 12 inches will likely fall in northern Delaware, with lesser amounts in Kent and Sussex counties, said Lee Robertson, a meteorologist with The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

Most of the snow will have fallen by midday, Roberston said. Some additional snow may continue into the afternoon and early evening, but he said it will be much lighter than what is expected to fall overnight Monday.

"The morning commute is going to be a mess," Robertson said.

The storm already canceled more than 450 flights Monday for American Airlines and their regional partners, as well as an additional 1,450 flights on Tuesday. All flights out of Philadelphia scheduled before 5 p.m. Tuesday have been canceled.

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Nationwide, more than 7,365 flights had been scuttled, according to a 9 p.m. Monday check of flight-tracking service FlightAware. That number soared throughout the day Monday, rising as an increasing number of airlines decided to preemptively pare their Tuesday flight schedules in the Northeast.

The Philadelphia International Airport already has up to 475 employees ready to clear ice and snow from 37 million square feet of airfield surface, according to airport spokeswoman Mary Flannery. Eight snow-melters, each able to dissolve 250 tons of snow per hour, will also be used to keep the runways clear.

Amtrak issued a statement Monday afternoon saying it would operate on a modified schedule in the Northeast region on Tuesday. Passengers holding reservations were encouraged to monitor conditions and make necessary changes in advance of their scheduled departure using Amtrak.com or the company's mobile apps.

There will be no Acela Express service between New York City and Boston, and there will be limited Acela Express service between New York City and Washington, D.C.

Those in southern Delaware may not see snow at all, he said. Instead, rain and sleet will likely coat the region, along with gusty winds and expected coastal flooding. A coastal flood advisory will go into effect for most of Tuesday, with minor coastal flooding expected around high tide.

Residents should expect about a 1½- to 2-foot surge above the astronomical tide.

High winds, with gusts up to 60 mph along Delaware's coastline, should also be anticipated, Robertson said. Other locations inland will likely bring gusts of 35 to 40 miles per hour, he said.

Those who don't need to travel should avoid major roadways and use caution when traveling. The Appoquinimink School District announced all after-school activities would end by 7 p.m. Monday due to the incoming weather.

Delaware State Police stressed that drivers should avoid unnecessary travel if possible and plan ahead if they must drive. The majority of calls received by troopers during winters storms tend to be for crashes and disabled and abandoned vehicles, said Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale, a spokesman with Delaware State Police.

The state Department of Transportation reminded drivers that drifting could be a major issue in this storm, especially as winds gust. The state's main focus will be on keeping major roadways open and passable before moving onto secondary roadways.

"Every effort will be made to keep the state’s roadways open and operating," DelDOT said in a statement.

Pennsylvania will also operate under travel restrictions ahead of the storm expected to bring near-blizzard conditions to eastern parts of the state.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said speed limits will be reduced to 45 mph on all interstates and expressways east of Interstate 99 — which runs vertically through the center of the state — beginning at 10 p.m. Monday. Empty trailers, towed trailers, buses, RVs and motorcycles are banned from those roadways until Tuesday evening.

AAA Mid-Atlantic released additional tips for avoiding getting stuck in the inclement weather.

They advised keeping an emergency kit inside all vehicles used for travel:

• Emergency kit items to include – deicer, shovel, ice scraper, sand or kitty litter (for traction).
• Pack a blanket, extra gloves and hat, heavy coat.
• Pack snacks, beverages, etc. – have them packed by the door to take in the morning so they don’t freeze in the car overnight.
• Charge your cell phone – have a backup power source for the car in case you’re stuck for a while
• Make sure your windshield wipers and lights are working properly.
• Fill up your gas tank tonight.

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki said on Monday that all city departments, including emergency management, are prepared for a "coordinated operation."

“We are mobilized for the storm,” the mayor said. “We’ll be ready beginning tonight to plow and then haul away large volumes of snow and we will be ready to assist with any other storm-related issues that could occur related to power outages or downed trees or wires.”

City residents can contact the public works at (302) 576-3878 or winterstorm@WilmingtonDE.gov. to report non-emergency storm-related issues or concerns.

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn. News Journal reporter Christina Jedra contributed to this report.