Severe weather
Tornado confirmed near Wilmington, Delaware, at 1:15 PM ET Thursday
By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk ยท Published
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.
Key points
- Where: Near Christiana Hospital, about 1 mile southeast of Eastburn Heights, in New Castle County, Delaware.
- When: 1:15 PM ET Thursday, Nov. 12.
- What: A confirmed tornado with damage reported around the hospital. No rating has been announced.
- What it means: Storms are still possible this afternoon from southeastern Pennsylvania across New Jersey. No severe storms are expected Friday.
A tornado touched down near Christiana Hospital in New Castle County, Delaware, just outside Wilmington, at 1:15 PM ET Thursday, Nov. 12. Radar analysis and video confirmed the touchdown, and several reports of damage came in around the hospital. The rating, path length and full damage picture have not been released yet, and more information is expected Friday.
The severe threat is spreading northeast, so the focus has shifted to southern and central New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania.
What we know about the tornado
A storm report issued at 3:43 PM ET said several reports of tornado damage came in around Christiana Hospital. It also said radar analysis and video show a tornado did touch down in that area.
Here is what we don't have yet: how strong it was, how long it stayed on the ground, and how wide the damage path is. The report says more information will come tomorrow. Treat any numbers you see online before then as unconfirmed.
Lou's rooftop photo
Lou sent us this photo of a tornado from a rooftop deck in Wilmington at 2:47 PM ET Thursday. The photo has no time stamp, so we can't say it shows the confirmed tornado at its exact spot.
Lou also noted hail between half an inch and 1 inch with the storm. That is a viewer's report. Hail up to quarter size fits the day's setup, since scattered severe hail was a main concern.
Where the threat goes next
As of the 3 PM ET update, Level 2 of 5 (Slight Risk) covers southeastern Pennsylvania and southern and central New Jersey. That includes Philadelphia, Camden and New Brunswick, about 7.5 million people. The highest tornado odds are 5 percent, meaning a few tornadoes are possible. Hail odds reach 15 percent, with a smaller chance of damaging wind gusts of 60 mph or more.
Wilmington, Newark, New York City and Atlantic City sit in the surrounding Level 1 area. The severe risk was trimmed across parts of eastern Maryland and Delaware as the primary severe threat spread northeast while a low pressure center moved east across New Jersey. Isolated supercell storms were the concern. They can produce severe hail or a tornado.
Flash flooding is a Level 1 of 4 (Marginal) concern across parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
The tornado is confirmed. Any additional storms are expected to be isolated.
What to do
- Keep a way to get warnings on your phone, and don't count on hearing a siren indoors. You can sign up for free Y'all Alerts.
- If a tornado warning is issued for your town, go to the lowest floor of a sturdy building, in an interior room away from windows.
- Don't drive into water covering a road, even if it looks shallow.
- Check the live warnings page for what's active now, and see the severe storm outlook for the next several days.
Bottom line
A tornado touched down near Wilmington at 1:15 PM ET Thursday, and more information is expected Friday. Parts of southeastern Pennsylvania and southern and central New Jersey still have a Level 2 risk this afternoon, and Friday looks free of severe storms.
More on Mid-Atlantic severe weather, November 2026
Places in this story: Wilmington, DE; New Castle County, DE
https://ryanhallyall.com/news/tornado-confirmed-near-wilmington-delaware-at-115-pm-et-thursday