Delaware
Northern lights could be visible in Delaware tonight as ‘severe’ solar storm predicted
Northern lights dance across the night sky
Clear skies allowed an aurora borealis to shimmer green hues across the northern sky in numerous locations overnight April 23 into April 24.
Accuweather
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_
Delaware
When will Delaware warm up? After snow, ice Tuesday, temps will rise
Ever seen a spring peeper peep?
A spring peeper singing in the Millsboro area.
Meteorological winter has ended and we’ve entered spring.
However, there’s still a last winter blast hitting Delaware early this week before a spring warm up hits at the end of the week.
Here’s a look at the Delaware forecast.
Will Delaware see more snow?
After a brisk Monday, March 2 with sunny skies and highs only reaching 35 degrees, there’s a chance of snow after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 with freezing rain after 4 a.m. in New Castle County. Snow and freezing rain are expected before noon Tuesday, March 3. The county may receive less than a half inch of accumulation.
In Kent County and Sussex County, there’s a chance of snow and freezing rain after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3.
When will it warm up in Delaware?
It will start feeling like spring as warmer air moves into the First State on Tuesday evening, March 3, but wet weather is coming as well.
Rain is predicted from Tuesday, March 3 through Friday, March 5, but spring-like temperatures will make it bearable. In New Castle County temperatures will range from the mid-50s on Wednesday, March 3 to the 60s on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. Kent County should see temperatures in the 60s and Sussex County will see 70s during the mid- to later part of the week
What’s the weekend forecast?
Remember when you were daydreaming about warm weather during the polar vortex or blizzard? Well, it is coming next weekend.
The forecast is calling for sunny to partly sunny skies throughout Delaware on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. Highs will reach the upper 60s in the north to the low 70s in the south.
Delaware
Law enforcement increases security across Delaware Valley after U.S. strikes on Iran
PHILADELPHIA – Law enforcement agencies across the Delaware Valley are boosting security at religious and cultural sites following U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, even as officials say there is no credible threat to the area.
The Department of Homeland Security also issued an alert after Operation Epic Fury, warning agencies to remain vigilant for suspicious activity despite assessing that a large-scale attack on U.S. soil is unlikely.
Hours after the strikes, protesters gathered in cities nationwide. In Phoenixville, dozens rallied Saturday afternoon, calling the military action “senseless.”
“Stop the war. People are suffering in this country with food prices, rent, healthcare, money for the people’s needs here,” said Curry Malott, a West Chester University associate professor of educational foundations and policy studies.
President Donald Trump has said the joint operation would eliminate Iran’s nuclear and military programs and change the regime. Some demonstrators criticized the president’s decision.
“Trump has broken his campaign promises with no new wars, and here he is going into another,” said Kyle Horstmann of Phoenixville.
Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said in a statement that Iran poses a grave threat, adding, “Iran and its proxies are responsible for countless deaths of Americans and our partners. That record is long, deliberate, and undeniable-and it cannot be ignored.” He adds sustained military engagement should be done with consent of Congress.
Democratic leaders, including Senator Andy Kim, argued the president failed to seek congressional approval for the strikes.
“I have zero confidence in this president who has so flagrantly violated our constitution,” Kim said. He called for Congress to immediately reconvene to vote on a war powers resolution.
“I hope there can be unanimity that when it comes to strikes of this magnitude, when American service members lives are at risk, what greater responsibility do we have in Congress than to look out for our service members and the national security of our country?” he said.
The Homeland Security alert also warned of potential low-level cyberattacks targeting U.S. networks, adding another layer of concern for authorities monitoring threats at home.
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Delaware
Delaware County looks to boost maternal services in face of need
As the Delaware County Health Department recognized success over a year period, county officials also voiced work needed to be done particularly in light of infant and maternal outcomes.
“Unfortunately, in Delaware County, we do still have some issues with maternal and child health,” county Executive Director Barbara O’Malley said. “Between 2019 and 2023, 1.3% of our births were classified as ‘very low birthweight.’
“That’s actually higher than our neighboring suburban counties, which are all under 1%,” she explained. “And Philadelphia is at 1.6. So, we know we have work to do and that’s what our health department is here to do.”
O’Malley added that 15.6% of Delaware County residents received inadequate prenatal care, which is determined by when someone begins their prenatal care.
In addition, County Deputy Health Director Stephanie Reese said the disparity among communities of color has grown.
“While Pennsylvania’s Black and white infant mortality gap has narrowed in recent years, Delaware County’s gap has widened. Black infant mortality in Delco increased from 2.9 to 3.9 times that of whites,” she said.
That’s a factor driven by low birthweights linked to premature birth and preventable social and environmental factors.
Last week, Delaware County Council approved to advertise a request for proposals for an awareness and education campaign for the county health department’s Centralized Intake System and the Delco Doula Collaborative. This is funded through a U.S. Department of Labor grant.
This action will allow the DelcoDoula.org to go live once completed. This site for the Delco Doula Collaborative is a web-based registry of perinatal doulas offering doula information and matching services in Delaware County.
“We have so many resources available to people but they may just not be aware of how much we can do for people that are around maternal and child health issues,” O’Malley said.
She said the intake system would be a single point of entry for maternal and child health resources, including eligibility-based matching.
“Once we maybe learn about you, we can give you customized services and resources that you would qualify for,” O’Malley added.
The executive director explained why it’s critical to focus on these outcomes.
“We do know that maternal and child health is very important for so many reasons,” O’Malley said. “A healthy infant, a healthy pregnancy obviously gives people a healthy life, a great start in life, has better health outcomes, educational outcomes and better outcomes for the families.”
Doula programs can help, she explained.
“Research shows that doula programs such as the one that is supported by grant funding through the health department (and) through The Foundation for Delaware County … that there are lower rates of pre-term births, lower rates of low birthweight, lower rates of Caesarian section and higher rates of breastfeeding,” O’Malley said.
One way to support this is through increased awareness of these programs and initiatives, something O’Malley said is hoped to improve birth outcomes and advance health equity in Delaware County.
While the awareness campaign is coming, many of these programs already exist.
“People can avail themselves of them right away,” O’Malley said, directing the community to the health department website.
There, moms and moms-to-be can get support through virtual pre- and postnatal partum doula groups, where moms can learn how to care for their baby, free supplies including diapers and baby essentials, immunizations for infants as well as mental health support for new moms.
“It is critical that we get our Delaware County infants and youth off to the right start and taking care of their moms and families is the way to do it and we do have a lot of resources and we want to make sure that people take advantage of them,” O’Malley said.
Other health programs
Among some of the efforts the Delaware County Health Department have done include meeting with residents during February to offer free blood pressure screenings across the county, including Yeadon, Lansdowne, Chester and Springfield.
Through its Delco Revive! program, it also continues to offer free CPR classes with another one being held at the Yeadon Wellness Center at 125 S. Chester Road from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 26.
“According to the American Heart Association, about 70% of cardiac arrests that happen outside the hospital occur in homes,” county Council Chair Richard Womack said. “Please take the opportunity to learn how to save a life by participating in one of these classes.”
The health department also released its 2025 Annual Report that focused on strengthening public health infrastructure, expanding equitable access to services, and deepening community partnerships across the county.
Some of the accomplishments included expanded doula services, maternal wellness programming, and youth health initiatives to support healthy families and improve early-life outcomes; comprehensive Back-to-School events and community-based education efforts, including the Lead Free in 1-2-3 campaign connecting residents to screenings, supplies and preventive services.
Over the last year, the department has also offered continued implementation of Delco Revive! by increasing community training, lifesaving supply distribution, and overdose response capacity while also strengthening data-driven monitoring and outbreak response to guide prevention strategies and protect residents from communicable diseases; and also expanded the public health kiosks.
The department is also responsible for conducting inspections, investigations and regulatory enforcement to safeguard food safety, monitor environmental hazards, respond to complaints, and prevent vector-borne disease.
The annual report stated that 83% of the department’s $11.4 million budget came from federal and state funding and that the remainder for that time period was funded through American Rescue Plan Act revenues.
“As we reflect on 2025, this report represents the dedication of our staff and partners who work every day to protect and promote the health of Delaware County residents,” county Health Director Lora Siegmann Werner said. “We remain committed to building a resilient, equitable public health system for the future.”
The full Delaware County Health Department annual report can be viewed at https://delcopa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/DCHD-2025-Annual-Report-Revised.pdf.
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