Tornado confirmed in Sussex County following Friday's severe storms
Meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, conducted a storm survey late Saturday morning near Bethel and Laurel. The survey confirmed that the tornado originated in Dorchester County, Maryland, and continued into Sussex County, south of Bethel.
The tornado was an EF-1 with peak winds between 100 to 110 mph. The path created by the tornado was 11.4 miles, and the width of the path was 600 yards. There were no injuries or deaths associated with the twister.
An EF-1 is the second-lowest level for a tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which measures tornado wind speeds based on the damage left behind.
According to the National Weather Service, a tornado warning is issued when a tornado is sighted or indicated by weather radar. During the storm, the Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Seaford, Georgetown, and Millsboro that remained in effect until 7:30 p.m.
More: 8 ways Delaware homeowners can cut energy costs as summer approaches
Nearly all of Delaware was under a severe thunderstorm warning until 7:45 p.m.
You can contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.
Greg Giesen contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware tornado touches down in Sussex County, officials confirm
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