Tornado Touches Down in Delaware, Damages Homes
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 100 mph struck Delaware on November 12, causing no injuries.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Severe Weather
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Delaware on November 12, damaging homes, trees, a hotel sign, a semi-truck and two ChristianaCare hospital helicopters. The tornado caused no injuries.
Why it matters
The tornado traveled 4.4 miles and reached a maximum width of about 175 yards, making it a significant event for communities along its path in northern Delaware. It was the first Delaware tornado since March 16, the first March tornado in the state in almost 50 years.
The National Weather Service classified the tornado as EF-1 with peak winds of 100 mph, a path of 4.4 miles and a maximum width of about 175 yards. The full extent of property damage across the affected neighborhoods has not been quantified in the available information.
The players
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service is the federal agency responsible for weather forecasting and severe weather warnings across the United States, and it confirmed the tornado's EF-1 rating.
ChristianaCare
ChristianaCare is a nonprofit health system based in Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania, whose campus and hospital helicopters were damaged by the tornado.
The details
The tornado began in Bear, Delaware, in the Salem Woods neighborhood and moved north-northeast, knocking over a hotel sign before entering a wooded area and the ChristianaCare campus. It overturned a semi-truck on I-95, rotated one ChristianaCare hospital helicopter 90 degrees, and dissipated in the Stanton area. A separate waterspout lasting about 30 seconds formed in the Delaware River near Penns Grove, New Jersey.
Timeline
November 12: Tornado touches down in Delaware in the afternoon.
March 16: The previous Delaware tornado occurs, the first March tornado in almost 50 years.
Seasonal Patterns
The November 12 tornado follows the March 16 event, which was the first March tornado in Delaware in almost 50 years, placing this November storm within a recent run of tornado activity in the state. Its occurrence in late autumn is notable against the typical seasonal concentration of Delaware tornadoes in spring and early summer.
Residents in the affected areas should check their homes for damage to roofs, trees and vehicles and report hazards such as downed limbs or unstable structures to local authorities. Drivers on I-95 should watch for debris and overturned vehicles while crews clear the roadway.
The takeaway
The tornado's peak winds of 100 mph and its path through populated neighborhoods show how quickly severe weather can damage homes and infrastructure. Residents should review their storm preparedness plans even outside the traditional spring tornado season.
Further reading
Explore more Delaware Severe Weather coverage for context on storms affecting the state.
