Delaware

Northern lights could be visible in Delaware tonight as ‘severe’ solar storm predicted

Published

2 years ago

May 10, 2024

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Northern lights could be visible in Delaware tonight as ‘severe’ solar storm predicted

Have you always wanted to see the northern lights but never been able to travel far enough north to catch a glimpse?

There’s a chance they could be visible from Delaware and nearby states Friday night.

Over the last several days, space weather forecasters have been closely monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields, which cause geomagnetic storms.

On Earth, the storms can cause disruptions in communications, the electric power grid, navigation and radio. In space, they can affect satellites.

But the storms can also trigger “spectacular displays” of the northern lights, or aurora borealis, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. This means the aurora could be seen as far south as Alabama and northern California.

This would also include Delaware.

The last time space weather forecasters issued a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm watch − the second most powerful solar storm classification − was January 2005, though a G4 storm did occur in March of this year.

A G5 storm is the most severe and classified as “extreme.” The last one occurred in October 2003 and caused power outages in Sweden. It also and damaged power transformers in South Africa, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center.

When could I see the northern lights?

Timing is not exact, but the time to view the aurora is usually within several hours of midnight, or between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. There can be aurora in the evening and morning, but it is not usually as active, according to NOAA.

During a Friday morning news conference, officials with the space weather prediction center said they will not know the intensity of the storm until the coronal mass ejections reach about a million miles from Earth. They travel at 800 kilometers (497 miles) per second, meaning scientists will have 20 to 45 minutes to determine the intensity before any potential effects are felt or seen.

“Because we’re talking about something (that originates) 93 million miles away, it is extremely difficult to forecast with a very good degree of accuracy,” said Shawn Dahl, a service coordinator with the space weather prediction center.

But, he and others added, if the solar storm does reach the G4 level, sky gazers should look up in the “late evening to post-midnight hours.”

For best viewing, the National Weather Service recommends looking to the north and trying to get away from city lights. The darker the sky, the better for viewing, weather officials say.

While Friday night appears to be the best chance for viewing, the aurora may also be visible Saturday night into Sunday.

Will Friday’s rain affect my potential viewing?

One key requirement to seeing the aurora is clear skies − meaning Friday’s wet weather may hinder potential viewing.

Rain is expected to continue on and off throughout much of the day in Delaware, though radar shows it tapering off around 9 p.m.

WEEKEND WEATHER: Grab your raincoats, Delaware. It’s going to be a dreary weekend with rain, cloudy skies

Still, cloud cover is predicted at: 100% at 10 p.m., 98% at 11 p.m., 98% at midnight, 97% at 1 a.m. and 93% at 2 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

While Delaware will likely have an overnight reprieve from rain, a frontal system developing over the Midwest will cause precipitation to return to the Mid-Atlantic on Saturday with another round of rain and thunderstorms.

The storm will be weaker than Friday’s, however, and severe thunderstorms are not expected, NWS said.

What are the northern lights?

The aurora borealis is a glow produced by electrons that float down to the Earth’s magnetic field from space. The electrons crash with atoms and molecules of the atmosphere in a ring on the Earth’s magnetic pole, according to NOAA.

All that commotion produces multicolor bulbs of light, which can be seen in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, respectively.

Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_

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Delaware

Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

Published

7 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

RADNOR, Pa. – Authorities say a Delaware County school employee is accused of traveling to Texas to sexually assault a minor he met online.

What we know:

Michael Robinson, 43, was taken into custody near Radnor Middle School where investigators say he worked as a paraprofessional.

Investigators believe Robinson traveled to Tyler, Texas in the summer of 2024 to meet a minor he had connected with online.

Robinson, according to U.S. Marshals, allegedly sexually assaulted the teen over the course of a weekend.

Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

Prosecutors in Smith County, Texas charged Robinson in December with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Under 15-years-old.

Robinson is being held at a Delaware County jail where he is awaiting extradition to Texas.

What they’re saying:

U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania said Robinson’s arrest shows that “sexual predators will always be pursued relentlessly.”

The Radnor Township School District said Robinson has been placed on leave and will not have contact with students.

“Parents of the limited number of children to whom the employee was assigned were contacted by the administration immediately.”

The district said it is cooperating with law enforcement and has “no information indicating misconduct involving district students.”

Crime & Public SafetyDelaware CountyNews

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Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm

Published

19 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm

Rehoboth Beach has canceled the upcoming 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge as the Sussex County resort town continues dealing with the aftermath of last weekend’s snowstorm, organizers of the annual Special Olympics fundraiser said on Feb. 26.

“Rehoboth Beach is navigating significant challenges because of the snowstorm,” a Special Olympics Delaware email announced. “At present, the boardwalk and all beach crossings remain snow covered and many sidewalks throughout downtown Rehoboth are as well.”

The plunge and 5K had been rescheduled to March 1 after severe weather conditions in late January caused it to be moved from its original Feb. 1 date.

The plunge will not be rescheduled for this year.

Last weekend’s storm brought nearly 2 feet of snow to parts of Sussex, closing hundreds of roads when trees and wires were downed. There were also power outages across the county, including Rehoboth Beach which had to restore power to its wastewater treatment facility.

Plunging for a cause

The polar bear plunge is one of Special Olympics Delaware’s more popular fundraisers, drawing more than 4,000 participants last year.

In recent years, the event has been bringing in more than a million dollars for Special Olympics Delaware. Last year, plunge events drew $1.3 million, just shy of the record-breaking $1.5 million raised in 2024.

Alex Seymore, Special Olympics Delaware’s director of digital media, said the organization had already raised more than $1 million from this year’s event.

“We expect a small impact,” Seymore told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “But again, we’re showing that we’ve raised over a million dollars.

He added they are reviewing how the cancelation will impact them and their services.

“It’s been just a couple hours, so we’re not completely positive how it will impact things in the long run,” he said. “We’re thankful for everybody that’s helped raise this money through this time.”

What is still occurring

While the plunge and 5k and been canceled this year, there are other indoor events that will continue as scheduled:

Feb. 27

4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.

Feb. 28

noon to 2 p.m. Fire & Ice in the Atlantic Sands Ballroom, 1 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach.
2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Restaurant chili contest.
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.

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Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?

President Donald Trump touted his Trump Accounts for kids platform during his State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 24, months before the savings account program goes live this summer.

Roughly 63% of parents open bank accounts for the newborns and young children according to The Financial Brand, showing that in general, opening a bank accounts for your child is a good idea.

But what, exactly, are Trump Accounts for kids, and does it make sense for you to open one for your child? Here’s everything you need to know.

Trump Account for kids explained

The IRS explained in a memo Trump Accounts will be available for any children under 18, with $1,000 seed money available for newborns and very young children.

That account will be seeded with federal government funds.

“A Trump account is a type of traditional individual retirement account that is established for the exclusive benefit of an eligible individual and that is designated at its establishment as a Trump account,” read the IRS’ Trump Accounts memo. “Upon an election under the pilot program, $1,000 is paid by the Secretary to the Trump account of an eligible child.

“An eligible child means a qualifying child who is born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029, who is a U.S. citizen, and for whom no prior pilot program election has been made.”

The Trump Accounts website confirms parents do not need to make a contribution, but can deposit up to $5,000 a year into the interest-bearing account.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in comments published Jan. 28 a single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth should grow to an estimated $500,000 by the age of retirement.

When will Trump Accounts for kids lunch, and can I apply in Delaware?

Trump Accounts for kids will go live on Monday, July 5, and parents in Delaware are allowed to apply for the nationwide offering when it opens.

Until then, you can visit the Trump Accounts website to add your name to the email list to get an update when the service goes live.

The IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury released Trump Accounts guidance you can read before opening an account.

Problems with Trump Accounts for kids

While opening a Trump Account for your child may seem a good thing, TIME uncovered a few problems with President Donald Trump’s namesake account service.

“The program may be open to every child, but its benefits will flow overwhelmingly to families with the means to contribute thousands of dollars a year. What could have been a leveling tool instead risks becoming a widening wedge between the haves and the have-nots,” read a portion of TIME’s take. “For a family living paycheck-to-paycheck that is unable to add anything beyond the government’s $1,000 seed deposit, the balance reaches just $5,839 by age 18. “

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies echoed much of that sentiment, and said Trump Accounts for kids will have the opposite effect from its stated goals.

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

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