A Terrifying, Deadly Storm Struck Delaware in 1962… And No One Saw It Coming

Typically, March in Delaware is mild, with some snow, some rain, and some sunny days. Temperatures hover between the high 30s and low 50s, with three or four inches of rain or snow all month. Big blizzards are rare, and the occasional Nor'easter doesn't usually cause much trouble for anyone other than maybe some afternoon commuters. March 1962 wasn't supposed to start any differently than March of 1961, or March of 1960... and so on.

The weather report for the first week of March 1962 stated that there was a chance of rain on Monday, and Tuesday would be cool and cloudy. Late Monday night, meteorologists began calling for a Nor'easter, with some snow and light gusts. By daybreak on Tuesday, it was becoming clear that the winds were stronger; the tides were higher, and the storm was much larger than anyone expected.

When the storm cleared on Friday, it was clear that this storm had been way more devastating than any storm before it. The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, as it's been called ever since, was the single most destructive storm that Delaware had ever seen, claiming seven lives in the First State alone and causing millions of dollars of property damage. Take a look at these pictures from the Delaware Archives and realize the great destruction that this wicked storm brought to the First State. It was truly one of the most infamous storms in Delaware history.

The Ash Wednesday Storm washed beachfront homes away. Some houses ended up over a mile away from where they originally stood!

The storm was particularly rough near the shoreline. Both Pickering and Slaughter Beaches were completely covered with ocean water during the storm. Downtown Milton was flooded to historic heights, even after the storm had cleared. The Indian River inlet area also flooded due to the high spring tides. Houses were completely surrounded by seawater.

Rehoboth Beach's stores and boardwalk collapsed under the floodwaters.

Sussex County's beaches were completely destroyed.

At Dewey Beach, the Towers were some of the only structures left standing. You can see the boardwalk at Bethany Beach is completely decimated in this photo. Look how far inland the water brought the sand.

The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 was massive, powerful, and extremely destructive. Thankfully, storms like this are the exception rather than the rule in Delaware. Did you witness the storm and its aftermath? Tell us your stories in the comments.

It's important to make sure you're prepared for infamous storms in Delaware like this one, because even with today's technology, the weather can sometimes surprise us.