Most areas of Delaware reported between four to seven inches of snow from Wednesday's spring nor'easter. 3/22/18 William Bretzger & Damian Giletto/The News Journal
Wait until next week to put the shovel away for spring.
The chances of another nor'easter — Delaware and the East Coast dealt with four of them so far this month — become increasingly small as spring gears up, but there's another storm coming this weekend, weather watchers say.
Meteorologists are watching that storm, which might move farther south than others, but there is a chance for rain and snow Saturday and Sunday, according to forecasters.
The Midwest will deal this week with a storm, a fast-moving winter weather system coming from Canada and known as an Alberta Clipper, which will dump heavy snow before turning eastward toward the mid-Atlantic this weekend, according to AccuWeather.
Whether the storm tracks farther north toward the mid-Atlantic or farther south toward Virginia and North Carolina will depend on how well a wedge of dry, cold air holds the storm at bay, according to AccuWeather.
Delaware spent most of Wednesday under falling snows which began around 9:45 a.m. in New Castle County and intensified after noon. By dawn, the snowstorm had passed.
Parts of the state got more than 7 inches of snow over the two-day storm, but average snowfall recorded at the 29 Delaware Environmental Observing System sites was closer to 4.3 inches. The monitoring station at Woodside in Kent County saw the most snow, 7.5 inches, followed by 7.2 inches in Greenville and 7 inches in Brandywine Hundred.
Results from those remote stations generally undergo review following snowstorms.
Forecasters watching the nor'easter develop were unsure of its final track and effects until hours before the storm, and even their predictions Wednesday fell a little short. At their predictions' most severe, they called for 12-18 inches of snow.
A winter storm warning expired at 6 a.m.
I-95 was wet early Thursday morning, but free of snow and traffic concerns. Weather forecasters warned roads still could be slippery and some flurries might arise.
A Level 1 driving warning issued Wednesday expired at midnight.
State police responded to more than 100 crashes in New Castle and Kent counties between 2 p.m. Tuesday, when the snow started to fall, and Wednesday afternoon.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews were still plowing and salting roads Thursday morning, according to spokesman C.R. McLeod. He said the focus is on secondary and smaller roads which didn't get as much attention Wednesday.
Delmarva Power reported about 1,350 customers were without power Thursday morning, with a majority of them, about 1,100, in New Castle County. By 1:30 p.m., the utility company reported nearly 890 customers still without power.
Government employees got a late start Thursday with New Castle and Kent counties' offices opening at 10 a.m. Many schools canceled Thursday classes.
The city of Wilmington did not collect trash Thursday morning east of Interstate 95.
Temperatures Thursday were expected to rise to the low 40s in the afternoon across much of the region, allowing for some melting.
Contact at aduvernay@delawareonline.com or (302) 319-1855 or @duvINdelaware.